UBRARY OF CONGRESS 



DDai3Sl^S3A 




Glass. 
Book. 



A 



CENTENNIAL 



HlSl\)lUCA]. 8KET(;il 



Town of New Ldxdon, 



W II STARR, 



M -I I. 1 1 1 ^ 



Of W<kSH» 



NKW I,oN[)()N 

I'l liii^iiKh in riiAi{i.i> Ar.i.v^;, i 

!■■ .'.w I: 1-1 : 1 - - "I ( , . 
I '"> 7 ' ' 



II. - I l;l,l. I 



A 



c r: X r i^: n n i a l 



HisiT)in( Ai. Sketch 



Town of New London, 



\V. II. STARR, 



-KlUKTAUV iiK rilK NKW l.iiNriuN rolNTV II l-TuUK A I. -i ICl LT Y . 




^^ 



N i: \V l,() N |)(».\ : 

ri»\VKU l'ltKH!< or i;Ki)ltiiK K. fTAIlll, 
I.S76. 



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1 



31 



PRKFACl 



The late talented and lamented >\ullioress of the ''Historv 
i»f New London" in her preface t(j tliat excellent work, very 
appropriately remarks, "The di\ inc command to remember 
the days of old and consider the years of many e^enerations 
so often repeated in varyint; terms in llolv ^Vrit. is an imner- 
atiye arji^nment for the preservation of memorials of the past. 
The hand of God is seen in the history of towns as well as 
that of nations. The purest and noblest love of the olden 
time is that which draws from its annals motives of gratitude 
and thanksgivintr for the past — counsels and warnings fcjr the 
future." These remarks are as forcibly just as they are un- 
ciuestionably true. History is the language of the past, wheth- 
er |)er[)etuated by tradition, monumental inscriptions, ancient 
records and manuscrijjts. or the more modern art of printing, 
not inaptly termed "tiie art preservative of all arts." Her 
voice is heard, repeated by ten thousand tongues and re-echo- 
ed through remotest ages, from the earliest dawn of time, and 
never to cease until time itself shall be no longer. 

The histr)ry of the i)ast is of deep interest to every thought- 
ful mind. We dwell u|)on it — treasure it up and i lierish it in 
our memory. In a great measure we live ujjon preceding 
events. From the i)ast we derive present enc(;uragement and 
by the ])ast we are warned and counselled. The future is 
only to be revealed by the future historians pen, and from the 
past alone we derive our concei)ti(jns and antici|)ations of the 
lutiire, and this shoidd not be overlooked in the histoiy of 
our coiuUry. It was a wise and ha|)|)y idea that led lo tlu- 



PREFACE. 



recommending by the chief magistrate of the nation, that a 
brief sketch (jf the history of tlie past hundicd years of every 
town within its limits, should be written and preserved, and 
form a part of the archives of the State and Country, as a me- 
mento of tlic centennial year of the American Republic. 

To carry out tliis idea is, however, no easy task. To con- 
dense the events of more than a century of years into a few 
pages, or even to make a brief record of the leading notewor- 
thy events of three generations in a single pamphlet, and 
place it before an intelligent public in an interesting, or even 
presentable shape, requires an ability and aptness to which 
the writer can make but little pretension, and but for the lack 
of some abler pen to perform the wcjrk, and the urgent solicita- 
tions of personal friends, some of the leading citizens of the 
town, it would not have been attempted. Miss Caulkins very 
excellent history, (it is to be regretted) is out of print, 
and a want, and almost absolute necessity for something of 
the kind now exists. If the reader derives half the pleasure 
in its perusal as the writer experienced in his researches for 
the historical facts recorded in this brief sketch, his efforts to 
add his mite to the historic interest of one of the oldest cities 
of the ancient Connecticut Colony will have been abundantly 

rewarded. 

W. II. S. 

Nno London., /"h' 4' i'^?^. 



HISTORICAL SKinX^II. 



A liislorical sketch of New l.oiulon lor the past ceiUuiy 
ncccssarilv involves somewhat of its previous history. An 
iiutline of former events, includinc: its earlier records, canmit 
well be omitted, and more especially the incidents of tlie 
eventful year immediately preceding that of our national in- 
dependence which commences our centennial era, as on the 
events of ///is, UKjrc than any other year of our history, result- 
ed the momentous event of our deliverance from foreign rule, 
and fiur ghjrious national independence. 

The site now occupied as the town and city of New London 
was originally a portion of the favorite hunting grounds of 
the Pe(jUods or Pequots, ' a powerful tribe of the aborigines 
of the country from wJKJse power it was wrested mainly by a 
few brave I-^nglish colonists in 1637.- The advantages of its 

1 The Per|ii()tn were the mont niinicrnns and mont powerful tribe in New Enfjiand. whone 
unthority e.xlindid over tweiity-Hi.\ other j^tty tribes ahm;; both shores* of tlie sound to 
Conneclicut river, and even twyond it, almost to llie Hudson. Their chief seals were on or 
near l'e(iiio<l river, now the Thame-.— ////'//>■'//. 

•,» This powerful and sani:uinary hostile tribe of Indians was entirely humbled and sub- 
dued, nniinly by the prowess of Captains. John Mason and .I<din I'nderhill, who with a hand- 
ful of brave colonists and a few friendly Iiulian allies, in the month of May, UVK, penetra- 
ted their territory, suddenly surprised and mtaeked Iheir i)rineipal slnniir hold m (iroton, 
now Kort Hill, desiroyin;; their fortress and obiamluj; a eompleie victory over Iheir savage 
f<M'H. The result of this battle was the deslrnction and ca|.tiire of nearly nine hundred of 
the enemy and the entire discomllture and lliial exliiution of this once powerful Indian 
Irilie, and the triumph of the New Kn^'land colonists over Iheir most inveler.ite sava^'c foes. 
On Ihe site of this decisive battle fought at such fearful <h1i1s of numbers, the New London 
County Historical .Society jiropose to erect a monument ciunmeinoratlve of the event. 



NEW LONDON. 



site, its picturesque surroundings, its beautiful river, its ex- 
cellent and spacious harbor, broad sound waters and adjacent 
islands, together with its comniauding position, were calcula- 
ted to attract the notice of adventurers. A settlement had 
been commenced at Saybrook, authorized by a commission 
from I>(U-ds Say, Seal, IJrook and others, and a plantation un- 
dertaken under the Connecticut patents. This settlement con- 
sisted at first of twenty men from Boston, who in 1635 selected 
what is now Saybrook Point as their landing place and the 
site of tlieir embryo settlement. ' Jcjhn Winthrop Jun., from 
the Massachusetts colony was the enterprising leader of the 
paitv, and the commissioned manager of the undertaking. 

A fcn-tifi cation was erected, dwelling houses built and the 
settlement was pushed with mucli vigor. - While engaged in 
that enterprise in 1636, it is inferred Winthrop was lf)oking 
forward to a new settlement on or near the river of the 
Pequots, as the next advance ])ost to be taken by the English.' 
He had discovered, and his active mind at once appreciated 
the advantages of the spot. After his commission at Saybrook 
expired, in 1640 he obtained a grant from the General Court 
of Massaclnisetts, of Fisher's Island, and subsequently another 
grant from the General Court of Connecticut. Afterwards 
the jiuisdiction of these colonies having been disputed by 



1 Lion Gardener in his " Pequot Warres " lias g^iven a riuaiut and interesting statement 
of hi.s connection witli this enterjjrize in a manuscript of twelve pages folio, written to 
liis "Loving Friends, Kobert Chapman and Thoniai* Ilurlbut," in 1660. from whicli we 
co|).v a single i)aragraph, viz: ''In the year 1635, L Li(J!i Gardener. Engineer and Master 
of works of Fortification in the legers of the Prince of Orange, in the Low Countries, 
through tlie jjersuasion of Mr. John Daven])ort, Mr. Hugh Peters with some other well- 
afl'ecti'd Kiiglislnnen of Rotterdam, I made an agreement with the fore-named Mr. l\'tors 
for tlCK) per anninn, for four years, to serve the company of patentees, namely, the Lord 
Say, the Lord Brooks [Brook,] Sir Arthur Ilazilrig. Sir Mathew Bonnington [Bonighton :'], 
Sir Richard Saltingstonc [SaltonstallJ, Esquire Fenwick, and the rest of their company, 
[I say] I was to serve them only in the drawing, ordering and making of a city, towns 
or forts of defence. And so I came from Holland to L(mdon, and from thence to New 
England, where I w'as appointed to attend such orders as Mr. John Winthrop, Esquire, 
the pre.ient Governor o'f Conectecott, was to appoint, wliether at Pequit [Pequot] river, 
or Conectecott, and that we should choose a place both for the convenience of a good 
harbour, and also for cui)ableness and fitness for fortilication. But I landing at Bost(m 
the latter end of November, the aforesaid Mr. Winthrop had .sent before one Lieut. Gib- 
bons, Sergeant Willard, with some carpenters, to take possession of the River's mouth, 
where they began to build houses against the Spring. " 

2 Trumbull's Hist. 

3 Miss Caulkius. 



MJW LOMf<L\. 



New York, Winthrop obtained in 1668 from the j^overnor of 
the latter, a patent confirniinsj his title beyond any dispute.' 

In 1644 Mr. Winthrop obtained a y;rant from the (ienerai 
Court of Massacliusetts (;f "a phintation at or near Pecpiod, 
for iron works," and in 1645 he erected, as is supposed, tlie first 
English dwelling house on Pecjucjd territory, on Fisher's 
Island, the former fanunis fishing ground of that tribe. In 
1645 he was engaged with energy and enthusiasm in clearing 
and laying out his new plantation. In 1646 he erected a 
house on his "town plot" in New London and removed his 
family from Boston U) his new home. His town lot com])ris- 
cd that part of the town afterwartl known bv his name, "Win- 
throp's Neck," now East New L(jiid(jn, and on tliis he fi.xed 
his residence. 

John Winthrop the younger is justlv distinguislied as the 
founder of New London. The plantation under his grants 
from the General Courts of Connecticut and Massachusetts, 
and patent from the governor ot New York, clearly establish- 
ed his title, and the energy and vigor with which he prosecu- 
ted his impr(n"ements contributed largely to the advancement 
and future imj)ortance (jf the town. At a general court held 
in H(jston in 1646, Mr. Winthrop ap[)(jinted a commission "to 
remove such Indians as were willing, to the other (or east) 
sideot the great river, (jr some other place f(jr their convenieiU 
planting and subsistence, to the good liking and satisfacti(jn 
of the said Indians."" As the projector of the new tt)wn, its 
founder and active inlliiential leading spirit. Winthrop was 
pre-eminent, and his services to his felhjw citizens and allei- 
wards to the colony as its gfjvernor, were invaluable.'' 

The township under the original grant relained its Indian 
name A\iiiit'au_[^ until .^Iarcll, 165S, when the general assemidy 
passed the ffjllowing resolution, fi.xing its present name : 
'■ Whereas it has bci-ii the ( (imiiieii(iable practice of the inliab- 

1 A rcmarkablt! clrciiniHtancc connected with thin jjrnnt tci Winthrop is the foct that the 
title <if ownerxliiii in the entire inliinil never piiMneil out of the fiiinily, iMeveriil of tile cie>>eend- 
ant*< of whieli are now livint;,) nntil IWW, when it wum piireha>'e<l hy Mr. Knlnton H. Fox, 
of Nrw York, !<inee (leeeiiMed. 

a New London Town Reeordx, Hook \l. 

3 See further notice of Winthrop in )«iil)M<'(pient. pagea. 



NEW LONDON. 



itants of all the colonics in these parts, that as this country 
hath its denomination from our dear native country of Eng- 
land, and thence is called New England, so the planters, in 
their first settling of most new plantations, have given names 
to those plantations of some cities and towns in England, 
thereby intending to keep up, and leave to posteritv the me- 
morial of several ])laces of note there, as Hartford, Windsor, 
York, &c., and that there hath yet no place in any of the colo- 
nies, been named in memory of the city of Lcjndon, there 
being a new plantation within this jiu-isdiction of Connecti- 
cut, settled upon the fair river Moiiegan, in the Pequot coun- 
try, being an excellent harbc^r and a fit and convenient place 
for future trade, * * * that therefore they might thereby 
leave to posterity the memory of that renowned city of Lon- 
don, fi'om whence we have had cnir transportation, have 
thought fit, in honor (jf that famous city, to call the said plan- 
tation, New London." ' The name of the river was changed 
to Thames. 

The original site of the town, as described by MissCaulkins 
in her history of New Londcui, was an "area of thick swamps, 
waving woods, ledges of rocks and ponds of waters." This 
comprised all the central portion of the town plot. The two 
extremities were first built upon and were only connected by 
a rough fcjot path winding over the hill northwest of the city, 
then as now familiarly known as Post Hill., having been so 
named from one Richard Post, whose residence stood near 
that place. Hempstead., was one (jf the earliest laid out streets 
of the city, io named from Robert Hempstead who was among 
the first settlers of the town. Subsequently he erected the 
"old Hempstead House' now standing, and still the comfortable 
residence of the descendants of the Hempstead family, and no- 
ted as being " undoubte.il v the nujst ancient building in New 
London." " 

For a long period after the first settlement (jf the town, all 



1 Records of C'onnoclicut. 

2 The iigo of the Hempstead house is determined by the Hempstead diary. The writer 
occupied tlie dwelliu;;, and vvritint"; there in l~4b, says it had then been built sixty-five 
years.- -il/i-v.v CaidMus /tlt/onj. pji. 37-1. 



i 



NEW LONDON. 



the land extending from Mill Brook on the north, to the Lower 
C(jve on the south, west of Union street, was a rocky waste. 

The original extent of the townshi]) of New Londdn, first 
called "the Plantation of Na>fieaug," included all the lands 
between the sound on the south, to the present boundary lines 
of Bozrah, Norwich and Preston on the north, and frcMU 
Pawkatuck river on the east, to "Bride Brook" in Lyme — 
These limits now comprise New London, Waterford, M(jnt- 
ville, Fast Lyme, Ciroton, Stonington and Ledvard. 

" During the first winter alter the settlement of the ttnvn, the 
winter of 1646-7, at a time when the whole country was cover- 
ed witli a deep snow, the incident occurred, on which the fol- 
lowing pcjem is founded. Ajjplication was made to Mr. Win- 
thr(jp to go to Saybrook and unite a young couple in mar- 
riage, — there being in that place no person duly authorized to 
oflficiate on such an occasion. But he had been crmimissioned 
by Massachusetts, and could not legally fasten the nuptial 
knot in Saybrook, which was under the jurisdicticju of Con- 
necticut. He proposed, therefore, to meet them half way, — 
on the brink of the little stream which was his western bound- 
ar}-. The j^roposition was accepted, — and there Winthrop ac- 
ccjmpanied by a partv from his plantation, met the bridal train 
from Saybrook. and the rite was pertormed. In conclusion, 
Winthrop gave tlie name of Bride brocjk U) the stream, by 
which it has ever since been known. The pond is also called 
Bride lake." 

"The annals of history can furnish but tew incidents more 
striking than the Bride brook marriage. All the accessories of 
the scene are picturesque and impressive. The little com- 
pany stood in the midst of a dreary waste of snow, — far from 
any human habitation, except the huts of savages ; — ancient 
forests and immense solitudes were around them, lieyond 
which, in shadowy magnificence, vast and indefinite, lav that 
unexplored world on whose brink they stood. We might, 
perchance, add to these iealures. the stalwart forms of nali\es, 
a tribe of whom dwell not fir Irom the ])lace. daiting among 
the trees, or looking on at a distance. What sublime sccnerv 
fi)r a wedding I There is no mai riage upon re( ord that has 
such romantic associ.itions." 



10 NEW LONDON. 



" Wlien this fair town was Nam-e-aug, — 
A bloak, r()ui)-U waste of liill and botj, — 
In huts of sea-weed, thatch, and h)(;, 

Our fathers f(!W, but strong and chec^ry, 
Sate down amid these deserts dreary. 

'Twas all a wild, unchristian wood, 

A fearful, boisterous solitude ; — 

A harbor for the wildfowl's IjhxkI : 

Where countless flocks of every pinion. 
Held o'er the shores a bold dominion. 

The sea-hawk hung his cumbrous n(;st, 
Oak-propi)'d, on every higliland crest; 
Cranes through the seedy marshes prest : 
The Curlew by the river lying. 
Looked on God's image, hiiu d('fying. 

The Eagle-king soared high and free. 

His shadow on the glassy sea, 

A sudden ripple seemed to be ; 

The sun-light in his pinions burning, 
Shrouded him from eyes up turning. 

They came : — the wc^ary-footed band ; 
The ])aths they cleared, the streams they spanned 
The woodland genius grew more l)land ; 
In hast(! his tangled vines unweaving, 
Them'and their lio])es witli joy receiving. 

Then beasts of ev(;ry frightful nanu', 
And wild men with their hearts of flame. 
By night around them howling came ; 

No arms had tliey but care and caution, — 
And TRUST IN God was all their portion. 

Firm as the rocky coast th(\v stood. 
And earnest as tlu^ rushing flood : 
Disihiining fear, yet fearing God : 

Each nuvn was both a lamb and ]i<ni. 

With heart of flesh, l)ut nerves of iron. 

They yoked tlie eagle 1o the dove; ; 
They tamed the wilderness with love; 
Clear light witliiu. — clear light above ; 
■; ^, By faith uplield. by foes undaunted. 

Home, freedom, country. h(>re tiiey jilanted. 



NKW l.oMioy. 11 



(frt-at hrnrts wpro tlioso tliat hitlior caiui', — 

A WiNiiiKor of iiii(lyiii<f fainc, — 

A Mkkwstkk of an honored niiinr,— 

(ircatlwarts — tlir jfrowtli of tlircc <rrcat nations, 
Laiil (lcc|i fur ns tliisr linn foundations. 

Till' anjri'lsas llicy j^lidfd by, 

Sonii- <>:lcains of brijjfhtni-ss lent the sky : 

And earth's own anj^tds too were niirli ; 

The choicest of fair Knjjfhmd's lian^'hters 
Came with tiiein o'er tlie I'iliowy wattM's. 

Now tlianlis to thee, (), (Jod of lands ! 

Who setth'st lonely men in hands ; 

That hroufjht these anji^els to our strands ! 

The Hose of Kden, heavenly woman ! 

To <;ardons chan<ri'd. these wilds inhuman. 

Si-e ! liko the rose trtn-'s sudden hlooni, 
Brijjht visions break the wintry jjloom, — 
The everofreens breathe forth perfume : 

Love's jjurple li<jht the scene is tlushin<i- : 

A ronnmcc into life is rushinir. 

A streamlet. — Nam-e-auff's western iiound, 

A i>ath i)y cra<f<ry hill sides found, 

Meanderin<j to the distant sound ; 

A slender stream, but clear and jj:lowin<>-, 
Down throujfh umbrajreous vallies flowinjr. 

Korth from a lovely lake it came, — 
Sweet stream with an unfjentle name ; — 
Hut now ice boun<l, snow wreathed and tamo ; 
No lonjrer s]>arklin<r, i)rattlin<r, leajjinjr, — 
The Xaiad of the brook was sleeping. 

To this fair stream two sjedj^ry trains ; 
(iroteR<|ue and (|iuiint as Lapland wains, — 
Rushed swiftly o'er the <la//lintr plains : 

Vast earth before, behind, all hoary, 

Eml)osonied in a shroud of j;lory. 

How still is all surrounding' snow ! 

How dea<i but for this iliamond <.r|ow I 

Tht! sun's exuberant overflow, 

Fillinj; the air with i|uiverintr jfladness, 
Helieves earth's spectn- of its sadness. 



12 NEW LONDON. 



No soundinof bells waked nature's ear, 

Yet music, Howing sweet and clear, 

Rippled the sea of silence drear. 

Cheery they come, — men, maidens singino-. 
And all the echoes round them ringing. 

They meet : — here noble Winthrop stands : — 
Come forth ye gladsome bridal bands, 
Ye snow-capt hills, clap all your hands ! 
Ye spicy cedars green and towering, 
Draw round them all your screens embowering. 

The woven nets are lightly spread ; 

The spruce boughs yield their fragrant aid ; 

The white smoke o'er them curls a shade ; 
And fruits and viands, choice and dainty. 
Flow from the ample horn of plenty. 

Her furry wrappings cast aside, — 

As rosy skies when clouds divide ; 

Forth stept the conscious, blushing bride : 
A trembling, serious, fadeless beautj', 
Commingling sweetness, love and duty. 

She stood like summer on the sncjw. 
No morning dawn around could throw, 
Such rosy light, so warm a glow : 

And hovering clouds with seraphs laden. 
Showered heavenly blessings on the maiden. 

Slu^ was a dame of fair degree ; 
Her lover fearless, bold and free, 
Had suffered scaitli by laud and sea ; 

Their hearts long pledged by word and token : 

Now let the sacred rite be spoken. 

Tlien hands were clasped, and Winthrop jjiayi'd : 
The life-long covenant was made ; 
High heaven a mute attention paid ; 

Winds, groves, and hills, with reverence lowly. 

Trembled around a scene so holy. 

" Now Sunk-i-paug is F.ridal Lake ; 
Flow, ever flow," — thus Winthrop spake, — 
" Romid hearts and homes thy journey take ; 
Love's streamlet out of Bride Lake wcdling : 
(lOD LK.\D A BUANCH TO EVEKY DWELLING." 
-linde Brook, a Legend of New London, Conn., by Mm F. M. Vaidkins, 1852. 



iVA'ir LONDON. 13 



At the beginnin£T of the cx-iuury just completed, the very 
extended area of territory previously embraced within its 
limits had become now circumscribed. The ])ortion east of 
the river had become detaclied and set off as independent 
towns. The township then included in addition to its j^resent 
limits, the much larger towns of Waterford and Montville. 
At that time the almost entire area of the latter was a rugged 
wilderness, very sparsely occupied by a few daring pioneers 
who had ventured to pass beyond the then borders of civilized 
life in the town. The greater portion of the population, with 
the principal residences and buildings were located, as before 
stated, at the ncjrtherly and lower sections of the town ])lot, 
while the central and western more rough and elevated por- 
tions, now occupied l)y some of the finest residences in the 
city, remained rough and unimproved. 

New London, at this early period had become quite a com- 
mercial town. Iler citizens were largely engaged in the 
West India trade. Men of energy and enterprise were owners 
and officers of vessels engaged in this business. These vessels 
of comparatively small size, with a single deck, made frequent 
and successful voyages. Horses, provisions and lumber were 
the principal articles of export, while molasses, sugar, coffee 
and rum comprised mostly the return cargoes. This trade 
afforded the j^articipators a liberal balance, which was gener- 
ally brought home in silver coin. The exjjortation (jf Hour, 
provisions and lumber to Mediteranean ports, Gibralter and 
the Uarbary coast, was also carried on to a considerable ex- 
tent, and mules taken in exchange, and exported to the West 
Indies, and exchanged for the |)r()flu(t (jf those Islands.' 

Tills trade made successful through the enterprise of Xew 
London citizens, was, lunvever, suddenly interrupted by the 
stamj) act, riic use <<f stamps being exceedinglv unpopular in 
the cfdony, and as no clearances could be given at the Cus- 
tom House, a very serif)us interruption of all commercial 
business followerl. The revenue sloo]) /,/7v/7r, earlv in 17^)9, 



1 f'npt. Oabrici Siftorn or 8lHtnn', of Bnrcolnnn. Old S|mln, wiih enlaced In thin Hue of 
trail)'. lie cunie to tliin roiintry in 1771, l)rin(.'int; IiIh non (iabrii-l willi liini, and lixcd liin 
rexldt-ncc! in Now London.— .1/1** (AuUkiim llixldrij, ji/i. 183. 



14 NEW LONDON. 



was stationed by the commissioners of customs in the harbor, 
and every sail that passed out or in was subjected to a vigor- 
ous inspection/ These embarrassments to trade continued, 
the commercial interests of the town were seripusly affected, 
and in fact all intercourse with other nations and foreign 
trade was almost entirely suspended. 

At that time but few, comparatively, of the present streets 
were opened. Main street (then "the town street") extended 
from mill brook on the north, along the west margin of Win- 
throp's cove, down to state street. Water street, (or the beach,) 
from near the present site of Chappell's upper wharf, down to 
the parade. These were the principal business streets of tlie 
town. Bank street continued along the river bank south to 
the Shaw mansion and was connected with Hempstead street, 
one of the earliest laid out streets in the town. These with 
some others of lesser note comprised the entire populated por- 
tion of the place. The whole of the rocky ridge extending 
from the old burial ground on the north, to the present site of 
the residence of the late Hon. H. P. Haven, was entirely un- 
occupied and called meeting house hill. The Congregational 
church stood alone on its extreme northern limits. West of 
this ridge very few if any dwelling houses had been erected, 
and that portion, now a pleasant and important part of the 
city, was a wild uncultivated waste. The old fort, the Episco- 
pal church and two or three other buildings of note, occupied 
the " Parade." The Custom house and residence of the Collec- 
tor were located on Main street, near the "Cove." The Alms 
house was situated on an open lot near what is now the cor- 
ner of Truman and Blinman streets, while the family residen- 
ces were mostly located at the lower part of the town. 

The war cloud that had hung portentious over the colonies 
grew more dark and threatening. Repeated insults and ag- 
gressions on the part of Great Britain had fired the hearts of 
the people with proper resentment. Lord North with the 
most intense bitterness threw his entire intluence in the Brit- 



1 Nathaniel Shaw, merchant of New London, writes to one of his correspondents, May 
15th, 17('>!), "Tin- sloop Liberty is now stationed here, and searches every vessel in the 
strictest miuincr." Agjiin, "Our cruising Pirate sailed yesterday for Newport."— J/j*>' 
Caulking. 



NEW LONDON. 



ish Parli;imcnt ae^ainst anj- amelioration of the severity which 
gmerned the measures of the crown aj^ainst its siilfering coi- 
imies in America. General Gage witli his military forces oc- 
cupied Hosttjn. The blood stained soil of Lexington had fully 
j)roved the barbarity of the haughty emissaries of the King, 
and the death of their countrymen by British muskets had 
electrified the hearts of the people, and aroused the entire 
po[)ulation of the coimtry. New London was one of the fore- 
most of the towns of the New England Colony, to resist the 
aggressor. Her citizens were among the earliest patriots (jf 
the Revolution. A military company which had, in anticipa- 
tion of ctjming events, been fully equiped and well trained, 
commanded by Capt. \Vm. Coit, a gallant officer, immediately 
on receipt of this startling intelligence proceeded U) Cam- 
bridge, to join the troops under General Washington, then 
recently placed by Congress in command of the armv. Major 
Jcjnathan Latimer, a worthy patriot soon followed him with 
another company to the scene of contlict. Both these compa- 
nies took part in the battle of Bunker Hill, and were noted 
for their gallantry on that occasion. Capt. C(Mt was after- 
wards appcnnted bv Congress to the command of the 
schooner Harrison, and it is claimed was the first man in the 
United States, that captured and turned upside down, his 
majesty's bunting. ' 

Capt. Nathan Hale, whose untimelv fate has been so deeplv 
lamented, was at this time a prece])tor in the Union Grammar 
school of New Lon(l(jn. He received an appointment in the 
army as lieutenant, and closing his sclujol, " immediatelv i)ro- 
cceded U) headciuarters at Cambridge. .Not long afterwards 
he received a Captain's c(jmmissi<jn, and the subseciuent sad 
history of his nol)le |)atriotism, self sacrifice and martvr death 

1 ThU «n-< the ciirrcnl Itdirf and iillliuiiu'li ni>t pu-tiiivcly kiimvii to lie llir fad, hii!-- lu-vcr 
Im-'cii flicpnivrd. That lie wa.t coiniiiaiKliT iif tlie lltirriion. one of llii- tlr:<t vexHclK coni- 
inl"Kii)iif(| by Coiii^ciis It* ciTtaiii, ami Iliat lir iiiaric hdiijc of tlif carlic!'! naval rapliirc" In 
well anthi-nticatcd, and the prubabilitii-.x arc thai Ihi- llrxt <-apliirc of a Hritinh vcHxtd wan 
niadij by him. 

'i Thf (-loHinK of the »fh<i<il waw di-cply afTcclini.' In l)<>th teacher anil pupil". MIsh 

CaiilkinH rcniarkx, "the parting' mccmc made a Hlrnni; imprcHMion nn their minil'<. lie ad- 

dri'xHol them In a ntyle nlmoMt parental ; pivc tlic-ni carncft connxcl, prayed with fheni, 

and xhakini; each by the hand, bade them individually farewell."— y/W'rry of Ntw Iaiii- 
I tun, ji/i, 515. 



16 NEW LONDON. 



are too well remembered to be here repeated.^ He is describ- 
ed as remarkable for his intelligence, his social qualities, his 
amiable disposition and happy mode of conveying instruction." 

At that time the only fortification in the colony of Connecti- 
cut was the old fort in New London. This was located at the 
foot of the parade, below the Hag staff and near the present 
locality of the ferry wharf. During the summer this was re- 
built under the direction of Col. Gurdon Saltonstall, and the 
few cannon in the town were mounted upon it. It was garri- 
soned with twelve to twenty men, under Capt. Nathaniel Sal- 
tonstall, and must have been a rather insignificant means ot 
defence against a formidable enemy. 

During the year 1775, a fortification was commenced on tlic 
projecting point of rocks at the eastern extremity of what is 
now Fort Neck, which was in a manner completed in 1777. 
Also on the opposite shore, on the bluff, (now Groton 
Heights,) another similar fortification had been commenced 
and was finished about the same time, each occupying about 
two years in its construction. The former was named after 
the governor, Trumbull, and tlie latter tlie deputy governor, 
Griswold. These however, when considered finished, could 
scarcely have been considered defences against an invading 
fleet of the en(5my. The old fort on the parade was now 
abandoned and its guns and muniticMis removed to fort Trum- 
bull. 

New London furnished her full quota of men for the Conti- 
nental service, although from lier exposed situation and the 
entire occupation of Long Island by the British, the town 
ought to have been permitted to retain a portion of her citi- 
zens for her own defence against the enemy, whose war ves- 
sels were hovering in the adjacent waters, and greatly liarrass- 
ing the people, who were kept in a constant state of alarm. 



1 Those who knew Capt. Hale in New London, have described him as a man of many 
agreeable qualities ; frank and independent in his bearing ; social, animated, ardent ; a 
lover of the society of ladies, and a favorite among them. Many a fair cheek was wet 
with bitter tears, and gentle voices uttered deep execrations (m his barbarous foes, when 
tidings of his untimely fate were received.— ^l/isw Caulkim 7Iis/anj, pp. 51.5. 

a The quaint old building used by Capt. Hale as a school room, is still standing on the 
east side of Union street, on the Wilson Manufacturing Company's plot. It formerly stood 
on the site of the Crocker House, and was removed nearly half a century ago to its present 
locality. 



NEW LOM)<)X. 



Notwitlislandiniu^ tliis drain on the citizens by requisition 
and the constant exposure of the place to the inroads of an 
unscrupulous ciieinv, two volunteer coni])aiiics were recruiled 
in the town, under Cai)tains Richard Deshon and Jonathan 
Caulkins, rcducinsj^, even in its most pressinci^ necessity, its de- 
fensive force to the p^reatlv reduced number of its own citizens.' 

Under an act (jf Consjjress, naval exiKxlitions were authori- 
zed, and the first of these was fitted out from New Lond(ui in 
Januarv, 1776. Commodore (sometimes styled admiral) Hop- 
kins was placed in command of the little fleet, comprising 
four vessels in number, viz : the Alfred, Columbus, Andrea, 
Doria and Cabot. Their armament varied from fourteen to 
thirty-six guns. The expedition was undertaken with the ut- 
most secrecy, and destined to cruise along the southern coast, 
with the purpose of annoying the British fleet then in that 
quarter. Dudley Saltonstall, the former commandant of the 
little fort was appointed senior Captain. "Several enterpris- 
ing young seamen of the city were app(jinteil midshipmen, 
and eighty of the crew were from the town and neighbor- 
hood."- Early in February the lleet sailed, in less than a 
niontli from the time in which the first preparations were 
commenced. This enterprise resulted in the plunder of the 
British post of New Prcjvidence, the capture of seventv pris- 
oners, more than eightv pieces of cannon and a large fpiantity 
of military and naval stores. These were Itrought to and 
lanrled at \ew London, early in the month of April following. 

Just at the period of the return of Commodore IIoi)kins 
fleet, the American army was on its wav from Boston to New 
York, under the (ommand of Washingi(jn. The Commo- 
dore's fleet lay in the harbor, and was Just landing his prison- 
ers and the stores he had captured. (Jeneral (ireene, with a 
part of his brigade, on their march to New York, arri\-ed ilu- 
same night and camped in and around the town, and the ( ity 
presentefl fpiite an animated appearanr »•. 

\V;ishington was the guest of Capt. .Xatlianii'l Shaw, at his 



1 "The town hn» tx'cn drnliicd of incn nlniidv. so thnt tlicrr in hcnrccly 11 Mitllcli'iuy 
of hiinilx Iffl to i;i-l ill the liiirvcMl." — S/mw'n Utiii lo (ior. TiuiiihuU, Aiiij. 7, 1770. 

2 MiH!< CuiilkiiiH Hi.Htory. 



18 NEW LONDON. 



stone house in Bank street, and some of the members of the 
Council of Safety of Connecticut, and conferred with them 
respecting their future operations against the enemy. 

The cliamber wliich Washington occupied that night at Mr. 
Shaw's, has acquired from the circumstances an enduring in- 
terest. The owners of the mansion have endeavored to keep 
it unchanged in appearance. No alteration has been made in 
size, or by w^ay of adornment. The bed, the curtains, and the 
other furniture are the same. It looks now as it did then. 

When the Marquis LaFayette made his celebrated tour 
through the United States, forty years after the revolutionary 
struggle in wliicli he had borne a part, was over — he visited 
New London and was a guest for a few hours in the Shaw 
house, then owned by the Hon. Elias Perkins ; while there, 
he was conducted to the Washington chamber. After survey- 
ing it with tearful eyes, lie knelt for a few minutes by the bed- 
side, communing no doubt, in reverential silence with God 
and the spirit of his departed friend, and then withdrew. 

New London continued to be the scene of enlistments, ap- 
pcjintments, arrivals and departures of militia and seamen, 
and the alarms incidental to the then critical condition of the 
country, and to add to the annoyance and embarrassments of 
its citizens, in the month of December, 1778, above five hun- 
dred prisoners released from the prison ships of the enemy at 
New York, were brought into the town sick v;ith various dis- 
eases — with frozen limbs, and infected with the small pcjx, dy- 
ing on their way through the sound by scores, and sixteen or 
seventeen a day for several weeks after their arrival, and com- 
municating malignant fevers and the small pox to those whose 
benevolent ministrations were affording them relief, and in 
this way spreading the infection throughout the town, and ad- 
ding to the anxiety and troubles of the inhabitants. 

In 1778 Congress ordered a ship to be fitted up for the re- 
ception of prisoners which was to be kept at New London for 
that purpose. This, however, was not continued long, and 
the prisoners were provided with comfortable quarters else- 
where. 

After the British had obtained possession of New York, both 

English and refugee privateering commenced, and soon the 



.YA'ir LOXDON. HI 



whole New England coast swarmed with letters of marque 
and rc|)risal. In a sliorL time nearly everv vessel, whatever 
her class or occupation, belonginy^ to New London, had been 
destroyed or taken by the enemy. Self defence prompted, and 
in reality comiK'lled retaliation. Some few remaining vessels 
<jf the town to which additions by building others were made, 
were efpiiped and |)ut in recpiisition for the same service. The 
enemy had the advantage in numbers and vessels, but our 
shrewd and active townsmen exceeded them in daring. Many 
were the exploits of the citizens in this somewhat question- 
able mode of warfare. Miss Caulkins names William Havens, 
Nicholl Fosdick, Samuel and Lodowick Champlin. William 
Leeds, Daniel Oeshon and Nathaniel Saltonstall, seamen 
whose bravery and skill in harrassing an enemy or defending 
a coast, could not be exceeded at any peri(jd of our countrv's 
historv. 

During the years 1776-7-8 and 9, over twenty ships, brigs, 
schooners and sloops were fitted out from New London, and 
the return of prizes was not infrequent or small. The Oliver 
Cromwell, a twenty gun shij), Ca])t. Harding, cai)tured a 
merchant brig and brigantine, whose cargoes were sold for 
nearly ,950,000. The Coiuiccticiit Gazette of June 3, 1779, adver- 
tised an auction sale of one brig, three schooners and seven 
sIiKjps, all prizes to "Yankee privateers; " and one week later 
in the Court of Admiralty, a sale of eighteen prizes, all of 
which were taken during the month of >Liy previous. 

Not all the vessels, however, engaged in this hazardous war- 
fare were ecpially successful. Several losses occurred. The 
ship Gov. Truml)idl was captured by the Hritish in We^t In- 
dia waters. The Putnam, built on Winthrop's neck was im- 
pressed into the Continental service and afterwards ran aslujre 
and burned to prevent her capture, and some other disasters 
of like nature occurred during this period. 

The energy, vigilance and daring of the ever active citizens 
of New London, and their continual annoyance of the enemv, 
together with their frer|uent successes in capturing valuable 
prizes, irritated in the highest degree the Hritish i-ommanders, 
and it was determined bv them to indict severe retaliation. — 
This town was consefpiently marked for special vengeance, 



20 N^W LONDON. 



and in September, 1781, Benedict Arnold, who liad signalized 
liimself by his predatory expedition to Virginia, was selected 
as a fitting instrument to inflict on northern sluM'es a like 
chastisement. A British fleet consisting of a large number of 
vessels ' of all classes, was fitted out by Sir Henry Clinton 
from New York, with the land and marine forces under Ar- 
nold's command for that purpose. A large proportion ot the 
land forces consisted of Tory refugees and Hessians, noted 
for their inhumanity and cruel nature. On the evening of the 
5tli of September, this fleet left the eastern end of Long Island, 
intending to make the attack under the cc)vcr of darkness, and 
accomplish mc^re easily by sudden surprise their intended ob- 
ject, viz: the destruction ot the vessels and stores which had 
at that time largely accumulated by recent arrivals and cap- 
tures. In this, however, tliey were thwarted by a head wind 
that arose during the night, and prevented their arrival on the 
coast until after daylight the next morning. At the discovery 
of this formidable fleet the alarm was instantly given. The 
signal of distress known to the surrounding country, was the 
firing of two guns at regular intervals from fort Griswold. — 
The signal was given, but to counteract their import another 
was added by one of the enemy's ships, changing the signal 
of alarm to that of victory or rejcncing, three being the num- 
ber indicating the latter. This conclusively proved that tlie 
enemy had full knowledge, of the situation and our signals. 
Under these circumstances the people of the surrounding 
country and neighboring villages, were thrown off their guard, 
and only bv special messengers could the alarm be given. 
A mere handfull of brave citizens of New London and the 
adjacent towns, and a few men from the batteries, were all 
that could be mustered to oppose the formidable army of 
nearly eighteen lumdrcd of the enemy. They landed in two 
divisions, one on eacii side of the river, meeting with but little 
opjoosition from the few militia and volunteer citizens of the 
town and neighborhood, hastily collected amid the general 
confusion. Both divisions formed and proceeded in regular 
order, the eastern towards fort Griswold, and the western 



1 Lossiii;; says twi'iityfour : Miss Caulkiiis stalls tliiity-two. 



37; 11' l.n.MinX. 



21 



louaids llif l<»\\n. All was liuriv and ronfiision amony the 
inliabitaiits. I lusbands and fathers with and without wca])oiis, 
hastily Ictt their lamiliLS and rushed to moot their iinaflers. 
Auvthing in the shape of fire arms, frcjni an old rusty musket 
Ik a horeman's pistol was put in re(|uisition. Wives and 
mothers assisted their husbands and sons to equip themselves 
for the battle, and urged them to perform manfully their duty. 
One of the noble dames of the town, the patriotic- ladv ot Mr. 
John Hempstead, as her husband hurried to the scene of ccju- 
llict loudly cheered him on, and her i)arting salute was, "/<'////, 
JoH.x, (/('//'/ A7 iiir hear \oti arc shot in tlic back.'' ' 

Fort Trumbull was a mere apology for a fortification with 
a battery fronting on the river and without defences of any 
strength on the land side. It was commanded by Capt. Shap- 
ley with less than twenty-five men and a few light guns. As 
it would have been folly to attempt to hold it against such 
fearful odds, after the enemy had approached suOicientlv near, 
he discharged a single volley, spiked his gun: and with his 
men retreated across the river to fort Griswcdd, a more eleva- 
ted and better fortified position. A single six pound gun was 
the only piece of artillery in the hands of the little squad of 
defenders on Town Hill, which after a few discharges was 
spiked and abandoned.- 

A brief account of the destruction f)f the town by the inva- 
ders, api)eared in tlie New London Gazette the next day, giv- 
ing the following description of the attack : — 

"About daybreak (jn Thursday mcjrning Last, 24 sail of the 
enemy's shipping appeared to the westward of this harbor, 
which l)v manv were supposed to be a plundering |)artv after 
stock ; alarm guns were immediately fired, but the discharge 
of cannon in the harbor has become so frccpient of late, that 
they answered little or no pur|)ose. The defenceless stale of 
the fortifications and the town are obvious to our readers; a 
few of the inhabitants who were ecpiipped, advanced towards 
the place where the enemv were ihdughl likclv to make their 
landing, and manoii\red -in the heights afljac ent. until the 



I llfinpHtciiirn Diiiry. 

'J 'I'lic iilil piiwdiT 111!) iif llilx u'liii limy now lie jn-cii in Ihc riHinif of IIk' New London 
County Ill-torlnil Sociily, mh oniM.f tlic r<lir» of IliU (ll-ii>.|roii- diiy. 



22 NEW LONDON. 



enemy about 9 o'clock landed in two divisions, and about 800 
men each, one of them at Brown's farm near the lit^ht house, 
the other at Groton Point : the division that landed near the 
light-house marched up the road keeping up large flanking 
parties, who were attacked in different places on their marcli 
by the inhabitants, who had spirit and resolution to oppose 
their progress. The main body of the enemy proceeded to 
the town, and set fire to the stores on the beach, and immedi- 
ately after to the dwelling houses lying on the Mill Cove. 
The scattered fire of our little parties, unsupported by our 
neighbors more distant, galled them so that they soon began 
to retire, setting fire promiscuously on their way. The fire 
from the stores communicated to the shipping that lay at the 
wharves, and a number were burnt ; others swung to single 
fast, and remained vuihurt. 

"At 4 o'clock, they began to quit the town with great pre- 
cipitation, and were pursued by our brave citizens with the 
spirit and ardor of veterans, and driven on board their boats. 
Five of the enemy were killed, and about twenty wounded; 
among the latter is a Hessian captain, who is a prisoner, as 
are seven others. We lost four killed and ten or twelve 
wounded, some mortally. 

"The most valuable part of the town is reduced to ashes, 
and all the stores. Fort Trumbull, not being tenable on the 
land side, was evacuated as the enemy advanced, and the few 
men in it crossed the river to Fort Griswold, on Groton Hill, 
which was soon after invested by the division that landed at 
the ])()int: the fort having in it only about 120 men, chiefly 
militia hastily collected, they defended it with the greatest res- 
olution and bravery, and once repulsed the enemy: but the 
fort being out of repair, could not be defended by such a hand- 
ful of men, though brave and determined, against so supericjr 
a number; and after having a number of their party killed 
and wounded, they found that further resistance w(nild be in 
vain, and resigned the fort. Immediately on the surrendry, 
the valiant Col. J.edyard, whose fate in a particular manner is 
mucli lamented, and 70 other oflicers and men, were murder- 
ed, most of whom were heads of families. The enemy lost a 
Maj. Montgomery and 40 officers and men in the attack, who 



y/:]V L<tM)()N. -2:] 



were toiiiul buried near tlie fort : llieir wounded were carried 

ollV 

"Soon after the enemy LCot possession of the fort, thev set fire 
to and burnt a consitlcrabie number of dwellinir houses aiul 
stores on Groton l)anl<, and embarked about sunset, takint^ 
witli them sundry inhabitants of New Lond<jn and (iroton. 
A Col. Eyre, who commanded the division at Grcjton, was 
wounded, and it is said died on board the fleet the nit^ht tliey 
embarked. About 15 sail of vessels, with the effects of the in- 
habitants, retreated up the river on the appearance c)f the 
enemy, and were saved, and four others remained in the har- 
bor unhurt. The troops were commanded bv that infamous 
traitor Benedict Arnold, wIkj headed the division which 
marched up to the town. Hy this calamity it is judged that 
more than one hundred families are deprived of their habita- 
tions, and most of their all. This neighborhood feel sensibly 
the l(jss (jf so many deserving citizens, and tlunigh deceased, 
canned but be highly indebted to them for their spirit and 
bravery in their exertions and manly opposition to the merci- 
less enemies of our country in their last moments." 

"The following savage action, C(jmn)itted bv the troops who 
subdued Fort Griswold, on Groton Hill, on Thursday last, 
ought to be recorded U) their eternal infamy. Soon after the 
surrender, of the fort, they loaded a waggon with our wound- 
ed men, by order of their cjfficers, and set the waggon o IT from 
the top (jf the hill, which is long and very steep. The waggon 
went a considerable distance witii great force, till it was sud- 
denly stopped by a tree ; the shock was so great to these faint 
and bleeding men, that some of them died instantly. The 
officers ordered their men to fire on the waggcjii while it was 
running." 

The Inuldings burnt at .New London in this expedition by 
the British trf)ops, were 65 dwelling houses containing <;7 
families, 31 stores, 1 <S shops, 20 barns, and g public and other 
buildings, among which were tin- fonrt n<>ii'^«\ Jajl and 
Church — in all 1(5. 

"In many instances where houses were situated a great dis- 
tance from the stores, and contained nothing but household 



24 NJ^JW LONDON. 



furniture, they were set on fire, notwitlistandin^- the earnest 
cries and entreaties of tlie women and children in them, who 
were threatened with being burnt in tliem if they did not in- 
stantly leave them. Indeed two houses were b(jught off for 
lo/. eacli, of an officer who appeared to be a Captain, upon 
condition, however, that he slicjuld not be made known ; and 
where the houses were not burnt, they were chiefly plundered 
of all that could be carried off. At the harbor's mouth, the 
houses of poor fishermen were stripped of all their furniture 
of every kind, the poor people having nothing but the clothes 
tliat they had on." " 

The following extracts are from Arnold's official account of 
liis expedition to New London : 

Sound, off Pluml) Island, 8tli Sept., 1781. 

Sir, — I have the honor to inform your Excelleney, tluit the transports with 
tlie detachment of troops under my orders, ancliored on the Lon^ Island 
shore on the 5th instant, at 2 o'clock, P. M., about ten leagues from New 
London ; and liaving made some necessary arrangements, weighed anchor 
at 7 o'clock, P. M., and stood for New London with a fair wind. At 1 o'clock 
the next morning, we arrived off the harbor, when the wind suddenly shift- 
ed to the northward, and it was 9 o'clock before the transports could beat in. 
At 10 o'clock the troops in two divisions, and in four debarkations, wore 
landed, one on each side of the harbor, about three miles from New Jjondon ; 
that on the Groton side, consisting of tli(! 40th and 54th regiments, and \\\v. 
;jd l)atti^ry of New Jersey volunteers, witli a detachment of Yagers and Ar- 
tillery, were under the command of Lieut. Col. Eyre, llie division on tiie 
New London side consisted of the 38th rcsgiment, the Loyal Americans, the 
American Legion, Refugees, and a detachment of 60 Yagers, who were im- 
nu'diately on their landing put in motion ; and at 11 o'clock, being within 
half a mile of Fort Trumbull, which commands New London harbor, I de- 
tached Cai)t. Millett, with four com])anies of the 38th regiment, to attack the 
fort, who was joined on liis march by ('apt. Erink, with one comi)any of the 
American Li^gion. At tlie same time I advanced with the remainder of the 
division, west of Fort 'rMUiiliul], on the road to the town, to attack a redoubt 
which had ke])t up a ijrisk fii-e upon us for sonu' time ; l)ut which the enemy 
evacuated on our approacli. in tliis work we found six i)i('ce8 of cannon 
mounted, and two dismounted. Soon after 1 had the pleasure to see Capt. 
Millett march into Fort Trumbull, under a shower of gra])e shot from a 
number of cannon which the enemy had turned uptui liim : and I have the 
pleasure to inform your Excellency, that by the sudden attack and determin- 

2 Thu Coiinccticul Gazette of Sept. 7, 1781. 



ed l>ravii_v ..I ih.- ti>Miiir>, tin' Fort was carrii-d with the loss of only four or 
live iiH'ii killfd and wumKlcd. ('apt. Millet iiad orders to leave one company 
in Fort Trninbull, to deta<-li one to the redoubt we had taken, and Join nn; 
with the other conipanii'S. Notinu- was lost on my jiart in jraiiun^ the town 
of New London. \N'e were fniposed l>ya snuill hody of the enemy, with one 
field piece, who were so hard jiressed that they were ol>li<icd to havi- the 
piece, which li"in)^ iron was sjiiked ami left. 

As soon as the enemy were alarmed in the mornin<r, we could jx-rceive 
they were l)usily enjrajred in l)endin<r sails, and endeavorinj; to j;et their pri- 
vateers and otlier shi])S up Norwich river out of our reach ; hut the wind 
i)ein<r small, and the tide ayainst them, they were olili<i;ed to anchor aefain. 
From infornuition I receivi'd l)efore an<l after my landinji', Iliad nason to he- 
lievi- that Fort tiriswidd, r)n (iroton side, was very iiu'omjilete ; and I was 
assured l>y friends to Government, after my landinji', that there were only 
twenty or thirty men in the fort, the iiduihitants in {General beintr on board 
their shijis, and busy in savinjr their property. 

On takinjj ]>ossession of Fort TrunduiU, I found the enemy's shi))S would 
escape unless we could ]iossess ourselves of Fort (iriswdld : I therefore dis- 
]>atched an officer to Lieut. Col. Eyre with the intellijience I had received, 
and re(|ueste<l him to nuike an attack u])on the fort as soon as possible ; at 
which time I exjiected the howitzer was up. and \\oul(l have been made use 
of. On 7ny jraininy a heifjht of jjcround in the rear of New Lomlon, from 
which I had a <;ood prospect of Fort (iriswold. I found it much more formid- 
able than I expected, or than I had formed an idea of, from the infornuition 
I had before receivi-d ; I observed at tlie sanu- time, that the uu-n who had 
e.>»ca])ed fmin Fort Trumbull, had crossed in boats and thrown themselves 
into Fort (iriswold, and a favorai)le wind sprinj^iny up alxuit this time, the 
enemy's ships were escapinjf up the river notwithstandiuy; the fire from Fort 
Trund)ull, an<l a six ])ounder which I had with me. I immediately dispatch- 
ed a boat with an officer to Li<'Ut. ("ol. Eyre, to counternuxnd my first order 
to attack the fort, but the officer arrived at a few minutes too late. I.,ieut. 
Col. p]yre had sent Capt. Bi-ckwitli with a flajf, to denumd a surrender of the 
fort, which was luTemiitorily refused, and the attack had coniiuenc<'d. After 
a most obstinate defence of near forty minutes, the fort was carried by the 
superior bravery an<l jierseverance of the assailants. On this occasion I have 
lo regret the loss ol Major Montjfomery, who was killed by a sjiear in enter- 
ing the enemy's works ; also <if Ensij;n Whithick, of the 4()th regiment, who 
WHS killed in the attack. Tiiree other officers r»f the same rey:iment wen^ 
wounded: Lieut. Col. I\vre. the three other officers of the r)4th n-ijinu-nt, 
were also wounded ; but I have the satisfaction to inform your Excelleiu-y, 
that they are all in a fair way to recover. 

Fjieiitenant Colonel Eyre, who behaved with jrn-at jfallanfry, havin^r re- 
ceived his woun<l near the works, and Major Montjf<imery bein^r killed im- 
mediately afti-r, the i-omnuiiiil devolved on .Major Mromlield, whose behavior 
on this occuHion does him j,'rent h^iiior ijini i ol I'.n^Kitl. witl, il,, \.\v 



26 NEW LONDON. 



Jersey volunteers and artillery, being the second debarkation, came up soon 
after the work was carried, having been retarded by the roughness of the 
country ; I uni much obliged to this gentleman for his exertions, although 
the artillery did not arrive in time. 

I have enclosed a return of the killed and wounded, by which your Excel- 
lency will observe that our loss, though very considerable, is short of the 
enemy's, who lost most of tlwir officers, among whom was their Commander, 
Col. Ledyard. Eiglity-five men were found di^ad ' in Fort Griswold, and six- 
ty wounded, most of them mortally ; their loss on the opposite side must 
have been considerabh^, but cannot be ascertained. I believe we have about 
70 prisoners, besides the woiinded who were left paroled. 

Ten or twelve ship's were burned, among them three (jr four armed 
vessels, and one loaded with naval stores ; an immense quantity of European 
and West India goods, were found in the stores — among the former the car- 
go of the Hannah, Cai)t. Watson, from London, lately captured by the enemy. 
Th(^ whole of which was burnt with the stores, which proved to contain a 
large ([uantity of powder, unknown to us ; the explosion of the powder, and 
change of wind, soon after the stores wen^ fired, communicated the tiames to 
part of the town, which was, notwithstanding every effort to prevent it, un- 
fortunately destroyed." 

The closiiii^ scenes of the tragedy were in keeping witli the 
other acts. The prisoners, the wounded and the dead, were 
all alike plundered by the soldiers, till they were left nearly 
naked. The wounded lay in the hot sun withovit water, with- 
out medical care, without covering, for two or three hours. 
The British were busily engaged in taking care of their own 
dead and wounded, and disposing of the plunder." Col. Eyre, 
and all the other wounded men, were carried on board the 
transports. Major Montgomery was interred in tlie space 
fronting the gate, not very far from the spot where he fell. — 
Several other officers were buried near him. About forty of 
their common soldiery were hastily thrown into pits, several 
together, and scarcely covered with earth. 



1 Arnold, it will be noticed, reports eighty-flve men '■\fovnd dead'''' in the fort. He- 
omits to say that all, or nearly all with their noble commander wore massacred by the 
enemy after their surrender. It is not strange that he failed to describe truthrully the 
bloody butchery of the brave defenders of the garrison. 

2 William Seymour was the only one of the garrison whose wounds wore dressed by a 
British surgeon. He owed this courtesy to Capt. JJcckwith, with whom he had previously 
some actiuaintance, having met him in New York, when sent thitlier to neirotiate an ex- 
change of prisoners. Seymour was a son of Col. Thomas Seymour, of Hartford, and \incle 
of T. U. Seymour, the late governor of Connecticut. 



.YA'ir LONDON. 27 



Of the j^nrrison, cif^hty-fivc who were entirely clead, were 
stripped and left in the fort. Those who were rey^ardcd as 
inortallv or very dangerously wounded, ahout tliiil\-li\e in 
number, were pan)led, to be left behind ; tiiirty others, most 
of tliem wounded, were marciied down to the landing to be 
carried away as prisoners. 

The last thing to be done by the enemy was to set fire to 
the magazine and blow up the fort. Preparatory U) this, the 
helpless Americans must be removed. Mvcrv thing was done 
in the greatest possible haste — the movements of the enemy 
show fear and trepidation, as if afraid the hills would fall on 
them before thev could finish their task and get away. The 
st)ldiers ran, rather than walked, hundreds of times up and 
down that steep declivity, removing their wounded, dragging 
their plunder, driving their prisoners; and now the heaps of 
fainting, neglec:ted men, lying upon the ground, and rcjughly 
rolled upon b(jards and tossed into a large ammunition wag- 
on, one upon another, groaning and bleeding, those below 
nearly stifled with the weight of those above. About twenty 
soldiers were then employed to drag this w\agon down the 
hill, to a safe distance from the expected explosion. From 
the brow of the ridge on which the fort stood, to the brink of 
tlie river, was a rapid descent of one hundred rods, uninter- 
ru|)ted except by the roughness of the surface, and by scatter- 
ed rocks, bushes, and stumps of trees. The weight of the 
wagon after it had begun to move, pressing heavily upon the 
soldiers, they let go their hold, and darting aside, left it to its 
own impetus. (Jn it went, with accelerated velocity, sur- 
mounting every imiiediment, till near the focjt oi the hill, 
when it came against the tnnik of a large apple-tree, with a 
force that caused it to recoil and sway round. This arrested 
its course, but gave a sudden increase of torture to the suflerers. 
The violence of the shock is said to have caused instant death 
to some of them ; others fainted, anrl two or three were thrown 
out to the ground. The enemy, after a lime, gathered up the 
bleeding men, and carried them into a house near by, belong- 
ing to I'^nsign Avery, who was himself (jne (jf the party in the 
wagon. ihe house had been |)reviously set on fin-, but they 
e^tingui^hL•d the llames, and Ictt llie woiindi-d nu-n there on 



28 NEW LONDON. 



parole, taking as hostage for them, Ebenezer Ledyard, brother 
ot the commander of the fort. 

A rear-guard was left at Groton fort, with orders after all 
had decamped, to take the necessary measures to blow up the 
magazine, burn the barracks, and entirely destroy the works, 
from ivhich all but the mcjurnful heaps of dead liatl been re- 
moved. 

It is supposed to have been late in the evening when Capt. 
Lemoine and his men, having laid a train of powder from the 
barracks to the magazine, kindled a fire in the barracks, and 
retreated to the ships. Without doubt Arnold and his officers 
gazed intently on the fort, as they slowly sailed down the 
river, expecting every moment the fatal explosion, and were 
keenly disappointed at the result. No explosion followed, 
but the fiiilure was not owing to remissness or want of skill 
in the royal artillerist. 

Under cover of the night, a number of Americans had cau- 
tiously approached the fort, even before it was evacuated by 
the conquerors ; and as soon as tlic rear-guard of the enemy 
had retreated down the hill, and the dip of their oars was 
heard in the water, they hastened to the gate of the fort. — 
Major Peters, of Norwich, is understood to have first reached 
the spot. Perceiving the barracks on fire and the train laid, 
without a moment's hesitation he periled life by entering the 
gate, and being well acquainted with the interior arrange- 
ments, rushed to the pumj) for water to extinguish the fire. 
Here he found nothing that would hold water but an old cart 
ridge-box; the spout of the pump likewise had been removed; 
but notwithstanding these disadvantages, he succeeded in in- 
terrupting the communication between the burning barracks 
and the ])owder. The heroism of this act cannot be too high- 
ly ai)p]audcd. Otiiers were soon on the spot, and the fire was 
entirely subdued. These adventurous men supposed that the 
wounded as well as the dead had been left by the enemy to be 
blown into the air, and it was to preserve them from this awful 
fate that they hazarded their lives by entering the fort. The 
fire being quenched, they hastened to examine the heaps of 
human forms that lav around, Ijut found no lingering warmth, 
no sign to indicate that life yet hovered in the frame, and 



Xh'w f.oxDox. on 

miijlit be recalled in ronscioiisness. .Major Peters easily 
selected the lifeless remains of his friend C(jI. Ledvard. His 
stroiisfly marked features, calm and serene in death, conld not 
he mistaken. 

As soon as it was known that the IJrilisii had re-emharked, 
all Groton was moved, inciiiirinc^ for her sons. Women and 
children assembled before the niorniny^ dawn, with tore lies in 
their hands, cxaminins^ the dead and wounded in search of 
their friends. They passed the light from face to face, but so 
bloody and manu^led were they — their features so distorted 
with the cnergv of resistance, or the convulsion of pain, that 
in many cases the wife could not identify her husband or the 
mother her son. When a mournful recognition did take place, 
piteous were the groans aiul lamentations that succeeded. 
Forty wichnvs had been made that day, all residing near the 
scene of action. A woman, searching for her husl)and among 
the slain, cleansed the gore from more than thirtv faces before 
she found the remains she sought. 

F(jurteen among the dead, and three amcjug the wounded, 
bore the title of captain. Cai)tains Elisha Averv and Henry 
Williams had served in the continental army; the others bore 
that rank in the militia, or were commanders of vessels. Of 
the killed, sixty bek)nged to CJroton and twelve to New J>on- 
don. Eleven bore the name of Avery, six that of Perkins. 
When J.edyard gave Uj3 his sword, few of the garrison had 
fallen ; at least three-fourths of tlie killed were sacriliced after 
the surrender. Among them were several of such tender age, 
that they could not be called men. Daniel Williams, of .Say- 
brook, was perhaps the youngest ; his gravestone bears an in- 
scripti(jn which, though brief and simple, is full of pathetic 
meaning 

" Fi'll in till- action at Kurt (Iri.-^wuld, on (Jroton Hill, in tin- (iftfcntli viar 
f>r Ills a;;«'." 

The next mf)rning, at daylight the licet of the enemv was 
seen at anchor off the mouth of the harbor. Thev made sail 
at 8 o'clock, but were in sight an lioui- or two longer. \iv 
this time, the whoh; surrounding countrv was in motion. .Ml 
the militia, all wh.. Ii:id iVii-nds i.u iln- sr:i.b...ii d, ill who 



30 NEW LONDON. 



hated the British, all who were impelled by curiosity, came 
rushing to the scene of desolation, mingled with the fugitives 
returning after a dismal night of terror and anxiety, to their 
forlorn homes. On the heiglits in view of the town, they 
paused and gave vent to lamentations and cries of anguish 
over the smoking ruins.' 

We cannot enter into all the historical details of that disas- 
trous event, in the brief sketch to which we are limited, but 
they will not cease to be remembered even through succeed- 
ing generations. Truly the history of that memorable day 
was written at New London and Fort Griswold " in fire and 
blood ! 

As execrable as Arnold's character may and does appear, he 
cannot be held personally responsible for all the cruelties in- 
flicted by the enemy on that occasion. The assassination of 
Ledyard, the brave commander of fort Griswold, and the 
massacre of the garrison after surrendering to the enemy, was 
the work of British soldiers and Tory loyalists which he would 
not have justified. His orders had regard to the usages of hu- 
manity and civilized warfare. Private houses were to be 
spared and the women to be treated vvith respect. The British 
soldiers were expressly forbidden to plunder or molest the 
helpless, and Arnold in his repjort speaks highly in commen- 
dation of Capt. Stapleton, who acted as major of brigade, for 
his endeavors to prevent plundering and the destruction of 
private buildings. 

It Vv-as afterwards well understood, as stated by Miss Caulk- 
ins, that most of tlie spoil and havoc in private houses was the 
work of a few wcjrthless vagrants who prowled in the wake 
of the invaders, hoping in the general confusion not to be de- 
tected. 

Arnold's principal design, in attacking fort Griswold was 
to obtain possession of the fortification and by means of its 



1 Miss Caiilkin'j; history, pp. .5()4-.5()9 

2 A moiiiiinciit erected in 1830, now inarl<s the site of tlic saiiu'iiinar.v conflict. It is built 
of native Knnuto, quarried from tlic liill on wliieli it stands ; twenty-six feet square at tlie 
base, twelve at tlie toj), and one hundred twenty-seven feet in beiirht. A circular fliirhl of 
one hundred and sixty-eiijht granite step.s in the interior leads uj) to the jjlatforni, from 
which a most beautiful and extended view of the surroundintc country is obtained. 



^^h■\\^ LosDoy. 



caiuion prevent the vessels in the harbor Ircjin escaping up the 
river. In tliis, however, lie was partially thwarted, as before 
stated in the Cazttti\ published at the lime, about eighteen 
schooners anil sloops made good their lelreat before the fort 
surrenderetl and thus were saved. Tliose itiat remained shar- 
ed the fate of the devoted town, being burned at the wharves 
or at their moorings. 

The value of proi)erty destroyed v.as estimated at $4X5,9X0.' 
Tliis was the estimate (jf the committee which was appointed 
by the General Assembly of Connecticut after the war, to as- 
certain the amount of loss sustained by the several towns in 
the state by the ccjnHagrations during the war, from the |)red- 
atory inroads of the enemy. To coni]-)ensate for this loss of 
propertv in New London and other towns in the state, the 
Assembly in 1793, granted to the sufferers, five hundred thous- 
and acres of land lying within the precincts ol the Western 
Resen'c, in Ohio, whicji tract was known as the "^ Fire Liinds." 
The title was confirmed by Congress in 1800, and includes 
what was usual Iv called '■'■A^eic Co/meeiieitt^" and was settled 
principally l)v New England people. 

The great loss of property during the war, and the entire 
prostration of trade and commercial enterprise incident there- 
to, left the inhabitants poor and exhausted. Many were un- 
able U) rebuild their dwellings, and the f(jrlorn aspect of the 
town may be easily imagined. 

Peace, however, wilii the "Mother ("i>niiirv" which took 
place in 17S3, rest(jred trani^uilitV and inspired with new hopes 
the citizens (jf the town. Trade began soon to revive and the 
clastic nature of the peojilc prompted them to new enterprises. 
The belligerant war vessels v.ere transformed into peaceful 
merchantmen. Their commanders and officers entered at on( e 
the fields of commercial enterprise, and their hardv crews 
found ready employment in the merchant service. With the 
revival (if trade and prosjierity. New London again assumed 
her |)osition as one of the leading sea ports in the stale. 

The West India trade which had been to some extent carried 
on previous to the war was re-established. As early as 17X4, a 

1 Lo.H-im,'. 



33 NEW LONDON. 

flourishing commerce was again the characteristic of the place. 
Vessels that year cleared for the various ports of West Indies, 
London, Liverpool, Cadiz and Ireland. During the year.Capt. 
Stillman made three voyages to Jamaica, coming in from the 
third voyage on the 3d of November. A portion of his car- 
goes consisted of one hundred and twenty-two horses. The 
commanders of the former armed vessels, as before stated, en- 
tered into the merchant service. Hinman, Bulkley, Fosdick 
and others comprised some of the best captains in this de- 
partment. For nearly si.xty successive years, Bulkley shared 
in the dangers and the enterprises incident to a seaman's life, 
and died in 1S48, at the age of ninety-five years. Richard 
Law, Daniel Deslujn and Jared Starr were active and noted 
seamen both previous and subsequent to the war, and all lived 
to a good old age. Law lived to the age of eighty-three 
years, Deshon to seventv-two, and Starr to ninety-one, and 
all stood foremost in the ranks of their profession. 

During the year 1784, under authority of the vState, Con- 
necticut comprised two Custt)m house districts, viz : New 
London and New Haven. Gen. Gurdon Saltonstall was ap- 
pointed Collector for the former. At his death which occiu"- 
red in September of the next year, Eliiah Backus was appoint- 
ed his successor, who held the office until lyf^g, when General 
Jedediah Huntington received the appointment, under the 
Federal Constitution. ")l\\q New London Gazette oi 1786, pub- 
lishes a list of three shijis, eighty -four brigantines, thirtv-eight 
schooners and ninety sloops, chiefly owned in the district of 
New London, and the total export of horses and cattle during 
that year as eight thousand ninety-tour. This assuredly 
speaks well for the eiUerprise and energy of the people of a 
town that five years previous, had almost been swept out of 
existence by the fire and sword of a merciless enemy. 

In her commercial interests New Londt)n was prosperous 
until untoward events abroad seriously retarded her enter- 
prise and checked her progress. Her West India trade was 
greatly interrupted. Her vessels were seized upon bv j)riva- 
teers and piratical cruisers that abounded at that time in West 
Indian waters. The pestilential fevers incident to trcjpical 
climate: attacked with great malignity the officers and crews 



NEW LONDON. ;w 



of her vessels. In some cases all except two or three of :in 
entire crew with liicir olVu crs, were consigned to an ocean 
grave before the return of their vessels to port. Several of 
her most enterprising citizens in foreign ports were carried 
ofT bv the same diseases. Of those who died thus by disaster 
and disease at sea and abroad, Miss Caulkins gives a large 
number of names, a few of which we quote, viz: Capt. CI union 
Saltonstall, Capt. Dudley Saltcjnstall, Dr. Winthrop Salton- 
stall, Capt. Giles Mumford, Capt. Howland Powers, Capt. 
J(jhn Rogers, Capt. Ezra Caulkins, Capt. James Deshon and 
Capt. Samuel B. Hemptead; also. Captains Peter Latinicr. 
John Manwarring, Oliver Barker, Thomas Crandall, William 
Briggs, William Packwood, William Leeds, James Rogers, 
Edward Merrill, Charles Hazard, Benjamin Richards. "It is 
probable," says this reliable historian, "that no port in the 
Union, leaving out of view the fishing ports on the eastern 
coast, has buried so large a portion of its population in the 
sea." 

That terrible and fatal epidemic, the yellow fever, that swept 
through many of our most populous cities with such fatal ma- 
lignity in the autumn of 1798, is still in the recollection of 
very few of our most aged citizens. Its ravages were not gen- 
eral throughout the town, but more particularly confined to a 
district about two hundred rcxls in extent from north to south, 
taking the market as a centre. The ncjrthern portion of Bank 
street suffered the most severely. From the market to Golden 
street, a distance of about one hundred rods, Mr. Holt, the 
editor of the /y^r newspaper, printed at that time, states, that 
except the few persons that tied at the flist alarm, but tw(j 
persons over twelve years of age, uf the regular inhabitants, 
escaped the infection. The first case of the disease (occurred 
in August. By the middle of October it began to abate, and 
by the end (jf the month entirely disappeared. .Nearly four 
hundred cases occurred, more than ninety of which ])roved 
fatal. 

The ravages of the pestilenc e was at last arrested bv the 
flight of the inhabitants. .The place was almost depopulated ; 
and the adjoining towns were thrown into a stale of ahirm and 
consternation lest the fugitive ihm t-mnd shelter under their 



34 NEW LONDON. 



roofs, should spread the infection through their families. For 
a few weeks silence and solitude reigned in the deserted 
streets. Shops were closed, the hum of industry ceased, 
vessels hovered far away from the harbor, countrymen avoid- 
ed the place. Even the " mourners ceased to go about the 
streets," and the funeral rites were performed only by the sex- 
ton and his assistants. To those who remained in their 
houses, taking care of the sick, it was a sad spectacle to see 
the freciuent hearse bearing away its burden from the door. 

Yet there were cheering circumstances in the midst of this 
general dismay. Humanity was active, charity was open 
hearted, benevolence was untiring and self forgetful. The 
noble members of the health committee never shrank from 
their duties, but spent their whole time in going frcjm house 
to house to relieve and assist the sick and necessitous. Dr. S. 
H. P. Lee, the principal physician of the city, visited and sup- 
plied with medicine from thirty to fifty patients daily, and 
only omitted these services when he had himself a severe but 
short struggle with the disease, when the gratuitous aid of 
one or two country physicians in part supplied his place. 

It was a dreadful scourge for the city, almost entirely sus- 
pending its business during the remainder of the year. Since 
that period with the exception of a few cases in 1803, this epi- 
demic has been unknown in the place. 

To recall the names of the large number of the former lead- 
ing residents and citizens of New London, would be a pleas- 
ant and interesting task. Of those who have distinguished 
themselves for their enterprise, energy, patriotism, intelligence 
and many virtues, a long and honorable record might be 
made did our short sketch allow. A heavy volume could not 
contain even a brief biographical sketch of each of the large 
number who have signalized themselves by their noble efforts 
and heroic deeds. The founders of the town and its early pio- 
neers, were mostly men of distinction and of more than ordi- 
nary intelligence. And during the war of the Revolution, 
New London produced men second to none in the colonies in 
patriotism and valor, and none who contributed more to the 
achievement of American independence.* Were it possible to 

1 Sec previous notices. 



NEW LOXnON. 35 

present to the public ;x full list oftlicir distinguishcfl n:inics, it 
wduld be a deeply interesting record, l)ut we can onlv refer to 
but few, leaving otliers equally worthy and estinialjle to l)e 
cherished in the memories of their descendents. 

Of the more prominent of the men of distinction of New 
London, the name of John Winthrop the younger, its founder 
and patron, deservedly stands at the head of the list. lie was 
the son of John Winthrop, of England, an einigrant from that 
country, and the first governcjr of Massachusetts, himself born 
in England in 1605, educated at Cambridge University, and 
one of the first scholars of his time. He was distinguished in 
England as one of the founders of the Royal Society of Lon- 
don, and a highly lumored member of that institution. He 
came to Boston in 1635, with authority to take the C(jnnecti- 
cut settlement, and as befc^re stated, directed the erection of a 
Uivi at Saybrook,' and afterwards proceeded with energy and 
success in founding and encouraging the settlement of the 
original pioneers in the enterprise. lie was chosen governor 
of Ccmnecticut in 1657, re-elected in 1659, and from that 
period annually re-elected until his death. In 1662, he went 
to England fcjr the purpose of (obtaining a charter for the 
colony, was introduced bv Lord Say to many influential 
courtiers of Charles II, and was successtul in oljtaining a val- 
uable colonial charter from that monarch. His prudent and 
conciliating measures while governor, were successful in the 
consolidation (^f the New Haven and Connecticut colonies 
under one government, and also in negotiating the diflictdties 
that had arisen between the Dutch and English settlements, 
and establishing harmony and concord in tlieii^ councils. 

He was a man of energy, inlluence, dignitv and learning, 
and of great suavity of manners. In natural philosophy he 
was well skilled, and was ecjually eminent as a good man. 
His excellent moral fjualities, urbanity and noble j)atriotic 
virtues, combined in gaining him universal resjiect. He died 
while on a visit In Hoslou, April 5th, 1^^)76, in the 71st year of 
his age. 

The Saltonstall family were noteworthy as among theorigi- 

1 So«! UnrdciiurV " I'fiiiiol Warr' - i.r. vi,.ii-k n-fcrrcd lo. 



NEW LONDON. 



nal settlers of the town. In 1687, Rev. Gurdon Saltonstall by 
a committee of seven, of whom John Winthrop was chairman, 
appointed by tlie town, secured his services to preach during 
the winter, and in May, 1688, the inhabitants passed a unani- 
mous vote of acceptance of his ministry, and in 1691, he was 
duly ordained as minister of the gospel, and purchased a lot 
and erected a house on "Town Hill," where he with his fami- 
ly resided.^ In 1708, he was chosen governor of the Com- 
monwealth, and was quite popular with the people." He died 
suddenly in 1724, and a marble tablet marks his family tomb, 
where his remains were deposited.^ 

General Gurdon Saltonstall, his son,' previous to 1777, was 
promoted to a Brigadier generalship, and with nine regiments 
of militia from Connecticut, was directed to occupy a post in 
Westchester county. New York. Of his three sons the eldest, 
Winthrop, held the office of register of the Court of Admiral- 
ty. Dudley was first captain and afterwards commodore in 
the United States navy; and the youngest son. Gilbert 
served as captain of marines on board the ship Trumbull. 

The Saltonstall family was signally thinned by deaths in 
the West Indies. Capt. Gurdon Saltonstall, (son of Winth- 
rop) and Thomas B. Saltonstall, died in June, 1795. Capt. 
Dudley Saltonstall, who in the Continental service had attain- 
ed the rank of commodore, as before stated, died the following 
year. Dr Winthrop Saltonstall, another of the family, died 
on the Island of Trinidad, in 1802.' 

The Chapman family distinguished themselves by their 
heroism and patriotic spirit. The father, James Chapman, 
lived in a secluded part of the town, now " Rockdale," then 
almost a thick wilderness. He led a quiet farmers life in his 



1 On tlie spot now occni)iecl by Judijc; J. P. C, Mather.— ,1/i,w Caulkins. 

2 The llcv. Gurdon Saltonstall. (Jov. WinthropV minister in the chnrch at New London, 
was his intimate friend and constant adviser, the main stay and sn|)i)ort of his admini.stra- 
ti(m, and his successor in the office of governor. Mr. Saltonstall's intluence in the church 
and with the ministers, was almost nnbonnded, and his commandini,' talents and intimate 
ucciuaintancc with public affairs, soon gave him such a i)osition in the colony as to justify 
tlie application of all the titles and honors accorded him.— Hin/orical Mar/aziiie. 

a In the old city burial ground. 

4 From the best information that can be obtained. 

5 Miss Caulkins History, pj). 581 



NEW LONDON. 



retired one story cottage, and scarcely ever left his luinibic 
doinicil except on the sabbath witli his fainilv, for the "nieet- 
inij house on the hill," before alluded to.' Five daughters 
and five sons were reared in tliis secluded home. Of the lat- 
ter, the eldest, James enlisted as a soldier in that hard service 
upon the Canadian frontier, which has been |)opularly called 
//n- old French wars. In how many campaigns lie served is not 
known. The war lasted ten years, from 1753 to 1763, and was 
terminated by the surrender of all the French American ])rov- 
inces to the ISritish crown. Hostilities with the Indians, how- 
ever, continued for some time longer, and we find James 
Chapman Jr., recorded as first lieutenant of a company order- 
ed to the frontier in 1764. 

After the cani])aign he returned to the pursuits of peaceful 
life and served for several ^-ears as one of the town constables, 
and when the Revolutionary war commenced, he was one of 
the first t(j enlist in the army. He received a Captain's com- 
mission (Ai)ril, 1775,) in a regiment commanded bv Col. Par- 
sons. This was one of six regiments raised at that time, be- 
ing the first enlistment of troops in Connecticut for the cause 
of liberty. 

Capt. Chapman and his company took part in the battle of 
Bunker Hill, and the subsequent seige of Boston. The next 
year he was promoted to the rank of Major in the regiment 
of Col. Selden, of Connecticut, and stationed in New York. — 
Here his gallant course was soon terminated and all the 
brilliant prospect of future life (pienched in darkness. 

The British assembled a large force to attack New York and 
the American Army being too weak to retain possession, was 
ordered to evacuate the city. The retreat was disorderlv, and 
in a skirmish that took place in the fields of Harlem, Ijetween 
an advanced j)arty (jf the enemy,' and a few Americans, whom 
Major Chapman was endeavoring tf) collect and bring into 
line with the main body, the Major was slain. .Mtci the Brit- 



1 In announclni; bin dciith, whiili took plate .Si'pt. i'ltli, I7S1, at the out' nf 7(1, tin- (Imelle 
of that (lalf adrU-d thin record, " He never went out itf the town l)nf iince In lii^ life, iind 
then he wax Hummoned to Norwieh an an evidence in coiirl." 

Si ni.''toricully known a.« the nirliiirii Jli/hl. 



38 NEW LONDON. 

isli retired, his companions returned to the place, and finding 
him quite dead, he was buried on the spot. His youngest 
son, James, a youth under fifteen years of age, was with 
him in the ;irmy. He saw his father fall, and assisted in his 
interment. 

Richard, his second son, at the commencement of the Revo- 
lutionary war enlisted as a soldier, and during the whole con- 
test held himself in readiness for service, performing military 
duty either with the army in the field, or in keeping guard 
upon the coast, or in garrison and at work upon the fortifica- 
tions of the town. 

The first rude batter)^ and intrenchment upon Fort Neck, or 
Maiiiacock, honored with the name of Fort Trumbull, was 
principally built l^y relays of citizens and fresh recruits from 
the back country. Of this fort in the latter part of the war, 
Capt. Adam Shapley had the command, and Richard Chap- 
man was the lieutenant. When Arnold invaded the place, on 
the 6th of Sept. 1 781, the fort being wholly indefensible on the 
land side, was evacuated, and the garrison crossed the river. 
Tliose that escaped the shots of the enemy, threw themselves 
into Fort Griswcjld. Capt. Shapley and Lieut. Chapman both 
fell in the attack upon the fort, but were not among the vic- 
tims of tire barbarous massacre that fallowed the surrender.' 

John, the third son, went early to sea, and commanded a 
trading vessel almost as soon as he attained his majority. — 
During the Revolutionary war he was active in cruising 
against the enemy, being continually in privateers or in the 
public armed vessels ot the state. 

Capt. Chapman was promoted to the first lieutenancy of the 
ship Putnam cjf twenty guns, and was engaged in the unfortu- 
nate expedition against Penobscot. The Putnam was run 
ashore to prevent her from falling into the hands of the 
enemy, but the crew escaped to the woods, and made their 
way home. 



1 A i)lain and simple grave stone in the old burial ground bears the following inscrip- 
tion : In .Memory of TJeut. Kichard Chapman, who was killed at Fort Griswold, Sept. 6th, 
1781, in the 43th j-car of his age. 

How suddenly death's arrow.* lly ! 

They strike us, and they pass not by, 

Hut luirl us to tlie grave. 



XEW LOMXiN. -M 

After the war Capt. Cliapnian resumed the business of trad- 
int;^ at sea, and niade two or three voyac^es to Ireland. On re- 
turnint? from the hist he was unfortunately drowned near the 
mouth of the river, within sisj^ht of home, Jan 27, 17SS. 

Edward, the fourth son (tf James Chapman, enlisted with 
his older brother to serve on the frontier ai>ainst the French, 
aiul was slain in l)attle lieforc he had attained his twentieth 
year. 

Joseph, the vount^est of the five brothers, was born in llic 
year 1747. Like his brother Ji>hn, he went early to sea and 
became an experienced navigator. In the Revolutionary 
army he held the rank of Captain, was taken prisoner in 1776, 
and suflfered all the horrors and ])rivations of imprisonment 
in the noted sugar-house at New York. 

Miss Caulkins remarks, '* c(juld the life of Caj)t. Joseph 
Chapman be faithfully written, it would furnish a narrative of 
varied and thrilling interest. The exciting details c^f adven- 
ture by sea and land might be eidianced by contrast with vivid 
scenes (jf domestic enjoyment. lie had a charming family. 
His daughters were remarkable for beauty, spirit and elegance; 
his sons for talent and cultivated taste. One of his sons was 
a distinguished editor, and another. Edward Chapman, was 
tlie author of a well kncnvn popular song, beginning, — 'Col- 
umbia's shores are wild and wide.' " 

The Hempstead families also occuj^y a prominent place in 
the history of the t(jwn. Rtjbert Hempstead was one t)f the 
first settlers, and probably came with Winthrop in 1645. Tra- 
ditic^n makes him a knight, but his claim to knighthood is 
very problematical. He seems, lunvevei", to have been a per 
son of note in the town. In 164.S he was chosen one of the 
"ttnvnsmen" (an (dllce similar to that of selectman of the 
present time,) to manage its aflairs, to which otiice he was 
afterwards re-elected. His death (jccurred in 1655. Joshua 
Hempstead, his only son also held some important trusts. — 
J<»shua 2d, a grandson, was born in r67S, was the author of 
the " Hempstead Diary" so frecpiently (pioted by Miss Caul- 
kins in her valuable history. Referring to him, she remarks, 
"He took an active part in the aflairs of the town t<M- a pi-riod 
(jf fifty years, reckoning from 170.S. He generally held three 



40 NEW LONDON. 



or four town offices ; was justice of the peace, judge of probate, 
executor of various wills, overseer to widows, guardian to 
orphans, member of all committees, every body's helper and 
adviser and cousin to half of the community. Of the Winth- 
rop family he was a friend and confidential agent, managing 
their business concerns whenever the head of the family was 
absent." 

Previous reference has been made to Lieut. Stephen Hemp- 
stead as one of the officers of the little fort on the parade. — 
He was one of the crew of eight brave men detached by Com- 
modore Tvipper, manning one of the two fire vessels sent up 
the North river to burn the British frigate Phenix. There, 
amid the roar of cannon, the rattling of the fire arms of the 
marines, and the shot and balls of repeated broadsides of the 
enemies shipping, they heroically grappled their little craft to 
the frigate, lighted the powder train which was to have con- 
sumed both vessels, and escaped in their little shallop without 
the slightest injury. It v;as truly a miraculous deliverance, 
and Mr. Hempstead in his narrative of the event, written in 
1830, remarks, that they were indebted to the providence of 
God for their hair breadth escape from death. Although the 
undertaking was not fully successful, the frigate by the des- 
perate efforts of the crew, having been released from the fire 
vessel's grapplings with but little injury, (her tenders only hav- 
ing been consumed.) On the return of the plucky little band 
of adventurers to New York, Mr. Hempstead and his brave 
associates were invited to General Washington's head quar- 
ters, and received his personal thanks with an order on the 
paymaster for forty d(jllars eacli, for their daring exploit. — 
There were others from New London who participated in the 
danger and the credit of this brilliant expedition, among 
whom were Thomas U. Fosdic, Captain of the fire sloop, and 
Capt. Thomas Harris, both of whom are named by Mr. Hemp- 
stead in his narrative. 

Stephen Hempstead was also one of the brave defenders of 
Fort Griswold on the memorable 6th of September, 1781. In 
that desperate fight he was sorely wounded and left for dead. 
After the battle he was found by his friends in an insensible 
condition, his left arm shattered, broken in three places, three 



NEW LO^'DON. 41 



ril)S broken untl :i bayonet wound in his side. Xotwithstand- 
ini:^ these terrible wounds he survived, and alter twelve months 
coiitiiienient, willi carelul allenlioii, recovered, rendered h(tnie- 
less iiuwever by the burnin*^ of his house, in common witli a 
lartjfe portion of the town, bv the hand of the enemv. 

Mr. 1 lciii|)strad was a sers^eant in C'.apt. .\;Uhan Ilale's com- 
pany, and was chosen by him to atteiul him on the perih)us 
adventure that cost him his life. lie accomi)anied Hale from 
Xorwalk to lluntini^ton. on Long Island, and on board the 
galley which conveyed them across the st)und, received from 
him, on his assuming the disguise of a country sclioolmaster, 
liis uniform ami commission. After landing his heroic cap- 
tain, Mr. Ilemjjstead returned to the American camp on Har- 
lem Heights, soon afterwards to learn the sad fate of that no- 
ble otTiier. 

In after years Mr. Hempstead removed to St. Louis, where 
he lived to a venerable old age, universally respected, and 
died generally lamented. 

Edward Hempstead, his son, struggling under adverse cir- 
cumstances, received a classical education and studied law, 
practising first in Middlesex County, Conn., and afterwards in 
Newport, R.I. In iSo;; Loinsiana was purchased from ?" ranee. 
Voung Hempstead not yet twenty-five years of age, immedi- 
ately proceeded to X'incennes, became acquainted with Gov. 
W. H. Harrison, who appreciating his merits, conferred on him 
an important office in the newly acquired territory. This, 
however, he soon after resigned and established himself at St. 
Louis in his professitjn of the law. His ability and talents 
were so highly apjireciated by the successive governors, Lewis, 
Howard and Clark, that he received imi)ortant apjjointments 
from each, and among others that of .\ttornev CJeneral for 
upper Lcjuisiana. frf»m i>'ii-i4. He was the first delegate to 
Congress from the western side of the Mississippi. His death 
which occurred the i:th of .August 1.S17, was sincerelv la- 
mented by all who knew him, and Hon. Thomas H. Henton 
pronounrx'd an elorpienl eulogv on his lilc and < hara< ter. 

Nathaniel Shaw Jr., was a gentleman of uoic and one ol 
the leading citizens of .New London. He was the son of .\a- 



43 NEW LONDON. 

thaniel Shaw, an enterprising shipmaster of the place/ and a 
man of wealtli, energy and liberality, warmly devoted to the 
interests of the town, and largely engaged in mercantile busi- 
ness. The first fire engine ever owned by the town was pur- 
chased at Philadelphia by Mr. Shaw, and presented by him 
to the authorities. In 1767 Mr. Shaw was one of a com- 
mittee of fifteen of the citizens to whom was referred the 
famous resolutions forwarded by the selectmen of Boston, 
condemning and relinquishing certain enumerated articles of 
European merchandise, all of which were warmly seconded 
by the committee and generally adopted by the inhabitants of 
the town. In 1770 he was appointed one of the four delegates 
to the grand convention of the colony held at New Haven, 
and in the month of June, 1774, when the English Parliament 
issued its edict, shutting up the port of Boston appeared, Mr. 
Shaw was chosen one of the committee of five, as a committee 
of correspondence. 

Mr. Shaw was a patriot in every respect, and performed 
very important services to the country during the war of the 
Revolution, especially in the naval department. " His judg- 
ment in that department," says Miss Caulkins, " was esteemed 
paramount to all others in the cohmy." He also acted as a 
general agent or friend of the country during that entire try- 
ing period of its history. His death occurred in 1782. 

General Henry Burbeck,- who had been a captain of artil- 
lery in the Revolutionary war, came to New London from 
Newport in June, 181 2, and assumed the military command of 
the district which had been transferred from the state to the 



1 Capt. Nathaniel Shaw, in 1734 purchased the site of the pleasantly situated " Shaw 
lu)us(!/' now owned and occupied by the family of the late Dr. N. S. Perkins, one of his 
descendents. Capt. Shaw prepared the site by blasting away a rough ledge of rocks, and 
from the material thus obtained erected his fine mansion. (Vide Miss Caulkin's history, 
page 286.) 

2 Henry Burbeck was l)orn in Boston on the 8th of June, 1754. lie was a soldier of the 
Revolution in 1787, under the confederation, he was commissioned a captain. lie was ap- 
pointed captain of artillery in 178!). He was raised to Lieut. Col. of artillery and engineers 
in 1798, and to Colonel in 1802. During his service in New London, in September, 1813, 
he was brevetted Brigadier General, and held that commission until the close of the 
war. Then, after thirty-eight years of military service, he retired from the army, and 
took uj) liis abode in New London. He died there on the 2d of October, 1848, at the great 
age of ninety-four years.- -i(w«/t(/. 



y/:\\' f.oxnox 43 

govcrnnient. The whole torce of the niiliti:i of the state were 
by orders of the secretary of war dismissed from service and 
the town, in a time of great necessity, not less than seven for- 
midable vessels of the enemy holdint^ the place in a state of 
strict blockade, and exp<jsed to the attacks of the dejiredatory 
maraudin_e^ forces of the enemys ships, without a single soldier 
on dnty. Under circumstances so' critical. General Hurbeck, 
on his own responsibility apj)lied to the governor for a tem|)o- 
rary force, who authorized the calling out a body of the mili- 
tia as the exigency of the case might require.' During his 
services at New London, he was brevetted a brigadier general, 
and held that commission until the ch^se of the war, when he 
retired frijm the army, after spending thirty-eight years in the 
service. He was a leading member of the Massachusetts so- 
ciety of Cincinnati, and the president of the society at the time 
of his death, which tocjk place in October, 1S48, at the ripe age 
(jf ninety-hnir years. An appropriate granite obelisk at Ce- 
dar Grove Cemetery marks his quiet resting place, and his 
estimable family are still the respected residents of the city, 
occupying the stately old family mansion on Main street. 

Cfjmmodore George W. Rogers, was also a gallant olTicer 
of the navy. He was a veteran (officer, having been a midship- 
man in 1.S04, and a lieutenant in active service in 1812, master 
commandant in 1.S16, and captain in 1825." He died in the 
service of his country, at Buenos Ayres, in South America, on 
the 2ist of May, 1832, at the age of forty-six years. I3v order 
(jf the navy department, his remains were brought home in 
the ship Lexington, in 1850, and conveyed U\ New London in 
charge of Commodore Kearney, and re-interred in Cedar 
Grove Cemetery, with great civic and mililarv ccremonv, in 
which the governor of the state and his suite joined. His 
monument, a j)lain obelisk of free stone marks the place (if 
his burial. 

(ieneral Jedediah H untington's name should not be omitted 
from the list of noted individuals (jf the town. At the (Irst 

1 .Mi-c CiMilkiiiH Hi-tory, pp. tls-l. 

2 One of hin H(»nH, (Lieut. AlfXiindir I*. Koijitxi wiim killed iit llie biillle of C'liepiillepec, 
in Mexico, In SL'pteMil>er, \M~ . — IjwAmj . 



44 NEW LONDON 



outbreak of hostilities in 1775, he raised and took command 
of one of the six Connecticut regiments, and served during 
the whole war. In 1777, he received the rank of Brigadier 
general. He was a brave and faithful officer, and for some 
time during the war was attached to the family and person of 
General Washington as one of his aids, and was regarded by 
him as a tried and valued friend. He was the first collector 
of the port of New London under the federal government, ap- 
pointed to that office by Congress in 1789. This office he re- 
signed in 1815. His residence, built under his own personal 
supervision, was copied substantially from that of General 
Washington, at Mount Vernon, and is still a fine, substantial 
brick structure, pleasantly located on a commanding elevation 
on Broad and Huntington streets, and is now occupied by the 
family of the late Rev. Joseph Hurlbut, the present owners of 
the property. General Huntington died in 1818, in the 76th 
year of his age, having survived every general officer of the 
revolution except General Stark, the hero of Bennington. 

Calvin Goddard was one of the delegates appointed to 
meet in convention at Hartford, "to deliberate upon the dan- 
gers to which the states in the eastern section of the Union 
are exposed by the course of the war." He was a native of 
Massachusetts, but studied and practiced law in Connecticut, 
and became a distinguished citizen of that state. He arose to 
great eminence in his profession, and was in Congress four 
years. He was repeatedly elected a member of the general 
assembly, and was appointed a judge of the Supreme Court of 
the state.' 

Col. John Livingston was a man of note and early celebrity 
in New London. An officer from New York, he accompanied 
General Winthrop in the unsuccessful expedition against 
Canada in 1690. With Winthrop he entered into the service 
of the Connecticut colony, and dwelt at first in ILartford. He 
afterwards married the only daughter of Wintluop, and ever 
after resided in New London or what then was a part of the 
town, on the Mohegan lands a few miles north of the city." 

1 Los.sing. 

a Ni'w London, 9th Aug., 1704. On Thursday last, marched from hence, Capt. John Liv- 
ingston, witli a brave company of vohinteers, English and Indians, to reinforce the front- 
iers.— 77«' New London Oaeetfe of Aiir/., 1704. 



NEW LONDON. 45 

lie was siibsetiiieiitly prDiiiotod to the rank of T.icut. Colo- 
nel, and took an active part in various expeditions against 
the I'rencli and Indians. In llie concerns ot the M(jhegan 
liulians he manifested a deep interest, was a personal friend of 
the Sachem, and speculated largely in their lands. He had a 
farm upon saw-mill brook, which was a |)art of the paternal 
inheritance of his wife, where he erected a saw mill and a 
fulling-mill. Large farms also, at Massapeag and Pawme- 
chaug, were at different i)eriods in his possessicjn, or passed 
through his hands. In 1710, he was one of the four purchas- 
ers of the whole Moliegan territory, reserving only the rights 
of the Indians. 

His wife, Mrs. Mary Livingston, died at the farm upon saw- 
mill brcjok, about six miles from town, on the 8th of January, 
1713. He married for his second wife, Elizabeth, the only 
child of Mrs. Sarah Knight. In November, 17 iS, he went to 
England upon some business, and while there was taken ill 
and died. lie left a will, wliich was authenticated in the Pre- 
rogative Court of Canterbury, Cireat Britain, — dated Feb. 17, 
1719-20. The executors named were his wife, Elizabeth Liv- 
ingston, (jf New London, Conn., and James Douglass, of Lon- 
don, G. H." 

Capt. John 1 )esh(jn, one of the old sea captains of New 
London, a veteran in the West India trade, merits an honora- 
ble record among the patriots of the revolutionary war. 

His father, Daniel Deshon, is supposed to have been the son 
of one of th(jsc thirty Huguenots that emigrated from France 
witli their families, in 1686, the year after the revocation of 
the edict of Nantes, and settled in Oxford, Mass. The settle- 
nu-nt was subsecpiently broken up by an invasion of the In- 
dians, and the emigrants disj)ersed int(j other parts of .New 
England. Rene (irignon, a man of some note among them, 
ti.xrd his resiflence in Norwi( h, aiul there died, in the \ car 
1715. Daniel Desluui was at that time a yoiuh in his taniiU, 
and one of the legatees mentioned in his will. .\i a later 



I \ tnblu-Mtono cri'Ctcd to lier tn«-tnory in the old biiriiil uroiitul. Iiiih (hv rollowini; itiM-rip- 
lion: — IntiT'il iiimIit tlilx mIoik- Ik the body of Mtliii Kll/.iil»tli Livlnj;Mtoii«', relict of Col. 
.lohn I,Iv:iii;hIoim- of Ni-w London, who (Itiinil.d IliU lifr Miin h Kill A. O. l7S.'i f> in llio 
■IMili y«'ur of lu-r iii;c. 



46 NEW LONDON. 



period Deshon settled in New London, where he married, 
Oct. 4, 1724, Ruth, daughter of Christopher Christophers. 
They had a family of seven children, viz : one daugher, Grace, 
who married Joseph Chew, and six sons, of whom, Capt. John 
Deshon, the principal subject of this article, was the second. 

He was born 25th Dec, 1727. He went early to sea, and 
followed that course of life for twenty-five or thirty years; 
was successful in his adventures, and relinquishing the actual 
command of a vessel, was engaged in mercantile pursuits 
when the revolutionary war took place. In the commence- 
ment of the struggle he was appointed to serve on various 
committees of the colony for furnishing naval supplies, and 
during the whole contest was consulted and employed in the 
maritime aifairs ot this district. If a vessel was to be sent out 
secretly, either to obtain salt, or to purchase a supply of lead, 
sulphur or Hints; or some species of craft was to be armed 
hastily and dispatched on a special cruise, Capt. Deshon was 
one of the persons relied on to expedite and manage the busi- 
ness. His special office appears to have been that of Commis- 
sary to the forts and state vessels. Tiiis he held by appoint- 
ment of the Connecticut authorities. The Provincial Con- 
gress also appointed him a member of the naval board of the 
eastern department. Tlie residence of Capt. Deshon in Main 
street was subsequently known as the Wheat house. It stood 
on the spot now occupied by the tasteful mansion of Mr. Sid- 
ney Miner, and was repvited to have been one of the first dwel- 
ling houses, regularly framed and glazed, that was erected in 
the town. The timber of the frame was cut trom the ground 
where it stood ; the chimney was constructed of brick import- 
ed from Holland, and the original windows were formed of 
small diamond-shaped panes, set in lead. It was taken down 
in 1 85 1, having stood upwards of one hundred and seventy 
years. In the rear of this house, Capt. Deshon had a rope- 
walk, running to Huntington street, which had not then been 
opened. This street was surveyed and laid out in 1784, and 
the first house erected was that of Capt. Giles Mumford, who 
purchased the lot of Capt. Deshon in 1785. It was the first 
house of three stories in height, that had ever been erected in 
New London.^ 

1 Communicated to the writer by Miss Caulkins. 



NEW LONDON. 47 



Capt. Deslion's wife was Sarah, daughter of Benjamin Starr. 
Tlicy botli died in June, 1792, within eigiiteen days of each 
other. They were interred in the seccjntl burial grcjund, l)ut 
their remains have been removed to Cedar (xrove Cemetery. 

Capt. John Deshon, a nephew of the ab<nc, like him went 
early to sea, traversed the ocean in various directions, and 
trafficked in many ports. lie in 179S was entrusted with the 
command of a ship, and sailed from New London as mate of 
the armed merchant ship Criterion — armed to resist any ag- 
gression that might be met with from the French, wIk^ were 
then annoying our commerce. Jlie master having died on 
the voyage, he returned from Bilboa in command of the vessel. 
Subsequently he made some thirty or forty voyages to Europe 
and the West Indies, and died but a few years since, ripe in 
years and the affections of the people. 

In looking minutely into our local history, it is astonishing 
to see how many (jf (jur people have acquired the title of Cap- 
tain. Some indeed have acquired it by station in the militia, 
but in far the greater number of instances it denotes the mas- 
ters of sloops, packets, schooners and larger vessels, men wlio 
from childhood have lived much at sea, and risen to their rank 
by skill in breasting the mountain wave. 

Many other individuals and families of note and distinction 
might be added, did our limited sketch permit. The names 
of Brewster,' Witherell, Law, Ledyard, Ilallam, Fosdick and 
many others are well worthy of lioncjrable mention, but these 
we must dismiss with a mere p.issing notice, or an occasional 
reference in connection with subsecpient history. 

To the early ministers of New London it is not unfitting or 
im[)roper to devf>te a short sjjace in our brief record. The 
first was the Rev. Richard Blinman, who had been curate of a 
parish in Chepstow. .^IoMnlouthshire, l">ngland, but was eject- 
ed from his living, under the des|)otic primacy of Archbishop 
Laud, for non-ccndormity to certain ceremonies of the estab- 



1 ilnnnthnn Brcw«t«T canio over fnnn Kiit'land in tin- Furlunt, in IdL'l. \\'\h wife wlin 
wflH a mumhcr of the fniiiily of KldiT William HrcwHtir, Iht father-in-law. iinccdid him 
with one child, Williuin. in the May Flinitr in Itfcai. Tlii-y KCttlid tlrct in Diixlitiry, Mhki<., 
nnil f<nl)»<(i|Mtntly r<inov«(l to New hoiidon. Their ooii, William, wax in the Narrairaiifelt 
war ill HH.'). Iliiiinuh, n daiiL;hter, married Samuel .Starr in \WA.- Miia Cdntkinn. 



48 NEW LONDON. 



lished clmrch. For the purpose of obtaining the free exercise 
of his mini try, he cniig-ratcd to this country in 1640, and was 
accompanied by several members of his church with their 
families. His residence for a short time was at Marshfield, 
near Plymouth, from whence he moved to Gloucester, and 
after a ministry of eight years in that place, he came by invi- 
tation to New London. 

His arrival here in November, 1650, gave a fresh start to the 
settlement. Without a church or religious leader, the enter- 
prise had languished and could scarcely be regarded as a plan- 
tation. But now the roll of inhabitants suddenly increased. 
The voice of worship was heard in the widerness, and hope 
and energy revived at the joyful sound. 

It was Mr. Blinman who preached in the barn meeting- 
house that stood on the hill, and to which the people were as- 
sembled at the sound of the drum. It was during his minis- 
try, too, and on the same conspicuous height, that the first 
regular meeting house was erected. From the gallery win- 
dows the eye commanded a fine expanse of country, and could 
mark every sail that went up or down the sound. Mr. Blin- 
man's house lot was also on the hill, upon the north side of 
what is now Granite street. He had another lot in the lower 
part of the town near the cove, where Blinman street perpet- 
uates his name. 

Mr. Blinman's ministerial connection with the town was 
discontinued in 1658. He remained a few months longer, here 
and in New Haven, engaged in settling his affairs, and then, 
after a residence in New England of nearly twenty years, he 
returned to his native land. According to Tnmibull, "he 
lived to a good old age; and at the city of Bristcjl, happily 
concluded a life spent in doing good." 

Rev. Gershom Bulkley came to New London in 1660, was 
alxjut twenty-live years of age, and had all the advantages re- 
sulting from a reputation for scholarship and from family dis- 
tinction to recommend him to favor. He was a native born 
American, and had graduated at Harvard College at a very 
early age. His father, the Rev. Peter Bulkley, then recently 
deceased, had left behind him a high reputation for learning 



NEW LDMXiX. 49 

and pictv. and his niotlicr the daiiy^htcr of Sir Richard (hit- 
wood was distinguished for her worth, no less than her rank. 
He had himself married the daug^hter of the Rev. Charles 
Chaiincv, the second president f)f Harvard College, and stood 
high as a student in the departments of Chemistry, Medicine 
and Theology. 

After a trial of a few months, he was accepted by the town 
for tlieir minister. He immediately brought on his voung 
wife from Concord, and established liimself as a householder 
in a dwelling just beyond the town mill, on the east side of 
the road to XcHwich. 

He remained in town si.\ or sexen vears, but |)erf(irmcd the 
functions of a minister less than five. He was afterwards or- 
fiained at Wethcrsfield, Oct. 27, 1669, and the next May he 
assisted in ordaining his successor at New London. His min- 
istry at Wethersfield was, however, of brief duration. Owing 
t(^ a weakness of his vocal organs, his jndpit services were 
never so effective as might otherwise have been expected from 
his piety and scholastic attainments. It was this infirmity, 
perhaps, which first led him to the study of medicine, and 
made him less eminent as a preacher than as a surgeon and 
medical practitioner. It is certain, at least, that he soon re- 
linfjuished the jjulpit and devoted himself to the healing art. 

During the bloody war w itli King Philip, he was commis- 
si(jned by the council (jf war, as surgeon of the Connecticut 
trooj:)s, and acconijianied the army in its various ex]ieditions 
against the Narragansetts, and into the northern wilderness, 
acquiring the reputation of a skilful surgeon and a wise 
councilor, with some credit also as ;i brave campaigmr. At 
one time, while out with a skirmishing |)artv near \Val( huset 
mountain, he was wounded, though not seven-lv, in a personal 
rontlict with the enemy. 

During the remainder of his life he practiced as a physician, 
first in Wetliersfield, and afterward in Glastonburv, filling at 
the same time various im|)ortant public ofli( e-s. He died Det . 
-• '7'.^ aged seventy eight, and was interred with his wifi- at 
Wethersfield, wliere a tabh-t of red sandstone distinguishes 
his grave.' 

I 'riir iiiM'ri])tii>ii H|K-iik'< of liiiii ic III) IK roiniilixliril liiiu'liiHt, iiikI ^iv(■^ liiiii credit for 



50 NEW LONDON. 



Rev. Simon Bradstreet, of New London was the son of Gov. 
Simon Bradstreet, of Mass. His mother is honorably dis- 
tinguished as the earliest of our New England poets. A vol- 
ume of poems published by her, before the year 1650, is the 
first book of poetry ever written and printed in America. — 
Her son Simon was born at Ipswich, Sept 28, 1640, and grad- 
uated at Harvard College, 1663. A private record kept by 
himself, which has been recently printed, gives the precise 
time of his arrival and settlement in New London. 

"May 1, 1666. I came to New London at the desire of the 
people and advice of my friends, in order to a settlement in 
the work of the ministry. 

Oct. 5, 1670. I was ordained by Mr. Bulkley and Mr. 
Haynes, and established pastor of the chh. of Christ, at New 
London. The good Lord grant I may so preach and so live, 
that T mav save myself and those who hear me." 

Tiiis was the first ordination in New London. Mr. Brad- 
street's church, which appears to have been organized at the 
same time, consisted of twenty four members, but increased 
during his pastorate to seventy. Tiie two deacons were Wm. 
Douglass and William Hough. 

Mr. Bradstreet was married at Newbury, Oct. 2, 1667, to 
Lucy, daughter of Rev. John VVoodbridge. He brought her 
to New London in 1668, and after the death of Mrs. Grace 
Bulkley, purchased her house on the hill — "hard below the 
meeting house tliat now is" — and made it liis parsonage. 

Mr. Bradstreet died in 1683. His widow married Daniel 
Eppes, of Salem. His son Simon, born at New London, 
March 7, 1670-1, and afterwards minister of Charlestown, 
Mass., was a man of much learning, that it was said of him, he 
could whistle Greek. This second Rev. Simon had also a son 
Simon, afterwards minister of Marblehead, which makes three 



eminence, not only in two of the learned professions, but in all three :— 
" Who was of rare abilities, 
Extraordinary industry. 
Excellent in learning. 
Master of many languages, 
E.xqtiisite in his skill in 
Divinity, I'liysic and Law, 
And of a most c.Kciuplary Cliristian life.'" 



Xh'W I.ONDOX. 51 

RtVtrenJ Simon liriii/strrrts, ot three sn'cessivc s^ciierations, de- 
scendants of Governor Simon Hradstreet, who was liimself 
the son of a puritan minister in ICns^land of the same name. 
A dynasty almost as \o\\^ as tiiat ot the Pliaraohs.' 

The Rev. (inrdon Saltonstall, tlie fourth minister ol .\ew 
London, is more tre(|uenllv mentioned as a statesman than a 
clergyman. His lite presents us with a remarkable transition 
from the pulpit to the chair of state. I'Vom beini;; the shep- 
herd of a single llock, he becomes the governor of a cohjnv 
and drops the title of Reverend for that of 1 1 is Kxcellencv. 

He was the son of Col. Nathaniel Saltonstall, and the great- 
grandson of Sir Richard Saltonstall, one of the oiiginal pur- 
chasers of Massachusetts Bav, and also (jne of the Patentees 
of Connecticut. He was born at Haverhill, Mass., May 27, 
1666, and received the name ^ti Giinioii in remembrance of his 
grandmother, whose maiden name was Meriel (yurdon. After 
graduating at Harvard College in 16S4, and studying for the 
ministry, he came to New London as a candidate for the \)\\\- 
pit in 1687, and was ordained Nov. 19, 1691. At Cambridge 
he had been a distinguished schf)lar, and he soon acquired the 
rejiutation of an ehxiuent i)reacher and a discriminating theo- 
logion. He was noted also for a sound judgment in cases of 
law and jurisprudence, and in general for a penetrating mind, 
and great fluency of expression. 

Altogether he was a remarkable man ; a rigid disii)linarian 
in church affairs: \ery tenacious of his opinions; verv digni- 
fied in his bearing, but courteous in speech, livelv in imagina- 
tion and with noble and engaging manners. His apjjearance 
in the pulpit was wonderfully imposing and majestic; the 
auflience seemed chained to his lips and the eloquence of his 
eye was said to be no less im]ircssivc than that of his tongue. 
His fame spread rapidlv, and it was considered a great privi- 
lege to spend a Sabbath in New London and hear .^lr. Salton- 
stall i^reach. 

On the death of Lit/ John W'inlhrop in \ovend)er, 1707, an 
extra session of the Legislature was convened, and Mr. Sal- 
tonstall was chosen governor of the <'olorJV to serve until the 

I Mi-« Ciiiilkiii-, in iniiiiiiiiiiicjiliini "ilh tin- wrihT. 



52 NEW LONDON. 

next annual election. It was an unprecedented circumstance 
that the pastor of a church should be thus publicly summoned 
to relinquish the sacred office and attend to secular affairs, 
and a committee of eight persons, four of them assistants, with 
three deputies and the speaker of the house, were sent to New 
London, to solicit his acceptance of the appointment, and 
break the force of all objections that might be urged against 
it. 

This deputation arrived at New London during the last 
week of December. A conference was first held with Mr. Sal- 
tonstall ; then the church and the town convened and discuss- 
ed the matter in their respective assemblies, and at length, 
with much expressed reluctance on all sides, the consent of 
the three parties was obtained, and the assistants, according to 
their instructions, administered to the governor elect, the oath 
of offjce. This ceremony was performed on New Year's day, 
1708, and without doubt in the meeting house on the hill, 
where Mr. Saltonstall had preached, and in the presence of 
the assembled town's people. 

It was at that time a law of the colony tliat the governor 
should always be chosen out of a list of magistrates nomina- 
ted by the freemen at the preceding election. This law was 
repealed by the general assembly, in order to allow the people 
to vote for Mr. Saltonstall. He was accordingly chosen to 
office by the general voice of the freemen at the election in 
May, 1708. 

The cotemporaries of Governor Saltonstall lavished the 
most extravagant encomiums upon his character and attain- 
ments. Great as were his merits it is scarcely conceivable 
that he was deserving of all the praise bestowed upon him. 
He was eulogized as a person "peculiarl}- formed for the 
benefit and delight of mankind." 

Governor Saltonstall was three times married and had ten 
children, five by the first and five by the second marriage. 

His first wife was Jerusha Richards of Hartford, who died 
at Boston in 1697. The second was Elizabeth Rosewell, of 
Branford, Conn. This ladv died at New London, Sept. 12, 
I 7 10. He afterward married the widow of William Clark, of 
Boston. 



XKW LOXDOX. r,:i 

When only fitty-eiglit years of aij^e, in the full possession of 
his mental and executive faculties, and at the heiy^ht of repu- 
tati(»n and honor, CJov. Saltonstall, by a sudden and unexpect- 
ed stroke ot apoplexy was removed to another world. The 
blow vibrated throuu^h the colony, and a threat asseml)lae;^e of 
j)eople leathered at his funeral. He was interred with a solemn 
relisrious service and imjjosing^ military ceremonies in a t(jmb 
which he had prepared in the burial tjround after the death of 
liis second wife. Manv of the descendants have since been 
laid in the same receptacle.' 

The hifrh encomiums pronounced upon (Jovernoi- Salton- 
stall render it a matter of deep regret that none of his sermons 
have been preserved; or, if preserved, that they have not been 
given to the public. It is most j^robable that there are none 
extant. The house of the governor in New London, after- 
wards occupied by one of his sons, was destroved in the gen- 
eral conflagration of the town by the enemy, during the revo- 
lutif)nary war, and it is possible that the manuscripts |)ul)lisli- 
ed by him perished at that time. 

Rev. Eliphalet Adams, the successor of Governor Salton- 
stall in the ministry at New London, was a native of Dedliam, 
Mass., and the son of the Rev. William Adams, an earlv min- 
ister of that jjlace. He graduated at Harvard Ccjllege in 1C94, 
and began to preach in 1696. 

His ministry in New London was of nearly forty years du- 
ration. It was an exciting period in the history of the town, 
and hjcal complexities gave him much disturbance. Tlie 
Baptists in his time founded their first church in New London 
(in that part of the town which is now Waterford,) and an 
Episcopal society was formed out of his congregation in < nu- 
nection with some I'^nglish residents, in the year 1725. dur- 
ing all these f oinmotions Mr. Adams remained faithful to his 
trust. His course was dignified, but progressive; showing a 
well balanced mind, and great stability of character. In five 
months of the vear 1741, from .Nlav to SeptcmbiT inclusive, he 

I Till- (ublu Htoiic upon llif Miiniit, Iiiih ii hiiti hiiiciit of llir faniily aniiH— iwn <-ai;l('r< willi 
win^jH (lif<|)lay(-d. and tin- crcKt, a ]>i-lii'aii Wdiiiiiliiiu liiT own lircaMt. rndcrnrath Ih IhiH 
Ingrription : Here lyctli tlie txMly of tli<- llonoiirahlc (iunlon SaltoiiHtall KM|iilrc (;o\- 
ernonr of (Jonnocliiiit who died St pIcnilMr llii' •Jdli in tlir .Mitli yt-ar of hi" ace ir-.'l. 



54 NEW LONDON. 



records the accession of eighty members to his church ; a fact 
which shows life, earnestness and activity, on the part of both 
ministers and people. 

Hut the energies of Mr. Adams were not wholly confined 
within his own congregation. He was for many years a trus- 
tee of Yale College and actively engaged in its interests. In 
1724 the rectorship of that institution was tendered to his ac- 
ceptance. The situation was one for which he was eminently 
qualified by native talents, agreeable vivacity of disj^osition, 
great experience and studious cultivation. His scholarship 
was proverbial : one of his cotemporaries, himself a man of 
learning, styles him the great Hebrician ; and he was celebrated 
for his tact and efficiency as a teacher. His house might have 
been styled a private college, for he generally had in his fami- 
ly several pupils pursuing an academic course, and others 
more mature, preparing for the ministry. When he received 
the call to the rectorship, the Rev. Mr. Woodbridge, of Hart- 
fi)rd, and the Rev. Mr. Russel, of Branford, were appointed to 
wait upon him and urge his acceptance. The)' presented 
without doubt, many forcible reasons why he should make it 
a point of dutv to attend to the summons, but Mr. Adams, 
while these gentlemen were still with him, had a town meet- 
ing called April 16, 17 14, and laid the whole matter before the 
people, leaving the question of duty and propriety wholly 
with them, and declaring himself prepared to abide by their 
decision. They voted that they could not let him go, and he 
declined the appointment. 

It should be observed that at this [)criod the whole town 
fonned but one ecclesiastical society, and Mr. Adams was the 
only minister having been settled town wise. 

Another sphere of usefulness in which Mr. Adams was 
deeply interested, was the instruction and civilization of the 
natives in his vicinity. His former experience among the 
tribes of Massachusetts, gave him great advantages in address- 
ing them. He knew how to gain their attention, and to win 
their hearts, and could adapt liis te. idling" to the understand- 
ing and conscience of these unenlightened but acute barba- 
rians. For several years he officiated as the regular mission- 
ary of the Pequots, Mohegans, and Niantisks, under the direc- 



NEW LO^'UON. 55 

tioii of the society tor the pn)[):i<:^;ili()ii of the sj^ospel aiiiDiiir 
the liuhans of New ICnt^hind. Schools were ojKMied ainoni,^ 
tliein, and a few were leathered out (jf eacli trihe who ijave evi- 
dence of being Christians, not only in name, but in heart and 
practice. 

Mr. Adams married Dec. 15, 1709, Lydia, daughter of Alex- 
ander Pvgan, an English trader who settled in New London, 
and there died in 1700. The house built by Mr. Pygaii stood 
at the north end of Main street, nearly opposite the mill, where 
a single pine tree, the last of a grcnip that stood near the 
house a '((.•w vears since, indicated the spot. It stcjod on the 
njad side near the site of the pleasant cottage ijf D. H. Mid- 
dleton, Esq. Tiie site was elevated, and a Might of stone steps, 
steep and narrow, led up to the front door. This place became 
the homestead of Mr. Adams, and was occu|iied by his de- 
scendants while the house remained extant. 

Original jiortraits of Mr. Adams and his wife, well |)reserv- 
ed in anticpie oval frames, are in the possessit)n of Rev. I\. A. 
Hallam, Rectcjr of St. James' Church, New London, who is a' 
descendant in the fourth generation from Rev. Mr. Adams. 

Mr. Adams died Oct. 4, 1753, in the 77th year of his age. 
Ilis disease was a prevailing epidemic. Hempstead in his 
Journal, observes: " He died easily, slowlv and willinglv," — 
an impressive description of the disease of a peaceful, right- 
eous man. Of the funeral he says, "Mr. Griswold and Mr. 
Johnson of Lyme were liere, and they both with Col. Salion- 
stall, Mr. Graves [the Episcopal missionarv] Deacon Cireen, 
and myself were pall-bearers."' 

"The Society ffir propagating the Gospel in Foreign Parts," 
was the title of a Mis ionarv Associati(jn formed in London, 



1 .\ tubic or D'd Miiid'-toiH' ill till' 1)1(1 liiiriiil ;.'r(>iiii(|, ln-iirr- tin- rnlliiwiii'.' iiiNi'ri|itiiiii : - 
Here lies III!' I{riiiiiiii> nf Tlii' J<c\. .Mr. Kli|iliiili't .ViliiiiiH, wliii rcHlcil frimi liin liilinnri- 
OclnliiT Jth. .\. I). K.Vj, ill III.- ;rih yriir of lii~ ni;.', 

S.) jll^t llic Sklo 

I'liiliiiidcrV Life H(i iiiiiiril 
lli> Ill-art fii |>iirr 
tlliil, or wlli:rrr(llllj{ wn-llCH 
Ilnvc I'aliiiH lo ifivi- 
or. iii-"i-r liiiil III- bci'ii lioiii. 
II. 1. ; : III 



50 NEW LONDON. 



under the auspices of the English Church, in 1698. This so- 
ciety sent out a number of agents or missionaries from year 
to year, and was instrumental in establishing clnirches of the 
Episcopal order- in various parts of New England. It was re- 
quired of a community desiring an Episcopal establishment, 
that they should "erect a churcli and prepare a parsonage and 
glebe," and then upon application to the society, a missionary 
would be duly sent and maintained among them. It was in 
this way that the Rev. Matthew Graves came to j\ew London, 
in tiie year 1748. He was commissioned by the society to ex- 
ercise the functions of an Episcopal clergyman in this place 
and its vicinity, receiving from them an annual gratuity of 
^50 or ^60. He continued in the incumbency for about 
thirty years, but as he never married and his family consisted 
only of himself and a maiden sister, Miss Joanna Graves, his 
limited salary, with what presents he received from the peo- 
l^le, appears to have sufficed for his simple housekeeping, and 
to have contented his ambition. 

The house on Main street, (No. 38,) formerly occupied by 
the Rev. Dr. Hallam, was built by the society for the occupa- 
tion of Mr. Graves. The site was a part of the large home lot 
of Mr. Samuel Edgecombe, who gave it to the society for a 
"glebe" in the vear 1745. The house was built soon after- 
wards, and escaping the conllagration of Sept. 6, 1781, is ntnv 
considerably more than a century old. 

Mr. Graves in person, was short, ungainlv, and awkward, 
with very moderate gifts as a preacher, but he possessed a 
kindly heart, liberal views and a genial temperament. He had 
a large acquaintance among tlie inhabitants and mingled so- 
cially with people of all denominations, being as often seen at 
the tea-drinkings of Congregationalists, as of churchmen. 

At the ordination of the Rev. Mather Byles o\er the Con- 
gregational Church, Mr. Graves attended the various services 
connected with it, and though taking no part in the exercises, 
mingled cordially with the officiating clergymen at the cere- 
mony. This was considered irregular by some of his clerical 
brethren, but seems not to have diminished his popularity 
among the ])eople (jf his charge. 



.VA'ir LOSDoy. 



The Rev. Dr. Ilall.-im says of him: "Mr. Graves was a truly 
ijood man and t:i^reatly beloved and respected. His ti^entle and 
inoffensive course conciliated the esteem of dissenters, and 
softened the edge of sectarian asperity. He was noted for 
cheerfulness, contentment and simplicity. His stipend was 
verv small and his circumstances often straitened ; but noth- 
ing could ever disturb his lran(|uilitv. or ^hake his confuience 
in God." ' 

At the commencement of the revolutionary contest, Mr. 
Graves having some warm patriots in his congregation, was 
requested to omit the prayer for the king and royal family, 
and substitute petitions in behalf of Congress, liberty and in- 
dependence. This he refused to flo. probablv considering it 
inconsistent with his urdination vows. Whereupon, in con- 
formity with the summary proceedings of the sons of libertv 
in that day, a crowd of bold spirits assembled at the church 
on Sunday morning, and as soon as the minister began to read 
the objectionable prayer, lie was seized by two men, dragged 
from the pulpit and driven from the house in his surplice." 
The church was then closed and it was not opened again for 
Episcopal service for several years. This was the last public 
exercise of Mr. Graves in New London. He remained in 
town, (juiet, retired and unmolested, though without doidjt 
jealously watched by the patriots, until August, 1779, when he 
was permitted t<j transfer his residence to New York, which 
was then in possession of the British. He officiated there for 
a few n-.onths as a chaplain, but was cut oft' by a sudden ill- 
ness, April 5, 1780. 

In the pulpit of St. James Church, Mr. Ciraves was both 
preceded and f(d lowed by a Seabury, father and son. His 
predecessor was Rev. Samuel Seabury, first a Congregational 
minister of (iroton. Conn., but afterwards Episcopally ordain- 
ed in London, and stationed as a missionary at New London 
frf)m 17/^2 to 174.V He was then transferrcfi to Hempstead, 
Long Island, where he f ontinuc(l (hiring the rcniaiiukT of his 

1 See Hint, of NamiKunM<tt, pp. 2««. 

'J ill- fled In hlH iiiir)tlin- l<i the )i(iiit of a imrifliioiirr, wlm lliiiiiL,'h ii \Miriii uliiu'. \\i\' 
n |irr»<iiiul frifiid. and pmltTtcd him from lliu vi<ilciii.'i- of tlif iiioh. — /i'» r. /!. .1. Iliillntn 



58 WEW LONDON. 



life. The successor of Mr. Graves after an interval of several 
years in which the pulpit remained vacant, was the Right 
Reverend Samuel Seabury, D. D., the first bishop of the Epis- 
copal Church in North America. He was consecrated Bishop 
of Connecticut, Nov. 14, 1784, at Aberdeen, in Scotland, by 
three Bishops of the Scotch Episcopal Church. He had been 
previously invited to settle in the old pastorate of his father 
at New London, and on returning to this country came imme- 
diately hither and entered upon the duties of his office, uniting 
the pastorship of the church with the charge of the diocese. 
The old church edifice which stood on the parade, having been 
burnt at the time of the British invasion, a new one was 
built at the corner of Church and Main street,' which was ded- 
icated by the Bishop, Sept. 29, 1787. In 1790 lie was elected 
Bishop also of Rhode Island. 

Dr. Seabury was a man of large frame and firmly built. 
His death which took place Feb. 25, 1796, was caused by apo- 
plexy. He was interred in the second burial ground of New 
London, where a table stone erected to his memory is still ex- 
tant, though the tomb is now but a cenotaph, the remains hav- 
ing been removed to the church. - 

He was succeeded in the pastoral office at New London by 
his son, the Rev. Charles Seabury, who presided over the 
church for a period of eighteen years. He then accepted an 
invitation to become the pastor of a church at Setauket, Long 
Island. This third Seabury, of New London, was born at 
West Chester, N. Y., but the two former were natives of the 
neighboring town of Groton. Th-e Rev. Samuel Seabury, 
father of the Bishop, was of strict puritan descent. His father 
was a deacon of the Congregational Church in Groton, and 
his mother was Elizabeth Alden of Duxbury, a descendant of 
John Alden and Priscilla Mullins, of May-Flower notoriety. 



1 This bnildinsr with its stately front, supjjorted by massive doric columns is still 
standing ; the bell and a portion of the tower having been removed, and the once honor- 
ed sanctuary for religious service is now occupied as a lirenj xtable. 

2 The grave was opened on the 12th of Sept. 1849, in the presence of several clergymen 
of the diocese, and the relics carefully gathered up and dei)osited in a vault prepared for 
their reception, under the chancel of the new church, where an elegant monument bears 
witness to the veneration with which his name and memory are still regarded. 



y/-:W LONDON. 59 



Rev. Mather IJylcs jr., ol Boston, was ordained pastor of 
llir Congregational Clnircli. in New London, .Nov. i S, 1757. 
larlv in that year two delegates from tiie church — Simon 
Sniitli and Robert Douglass, had been sent to Boston to en- 
gage the services of Mr. Byles, with directions, if unsuccessful 
in their suit, to ajiply to Mr. Payson, of Walpole. They re- 
turned with Mr. Byles, who preached seventeen sabbaths, and 
was then invited to settle by a cordial and unanimous vote ot 
the church and scjciety, which after some delav, he accepted. 

The pulpit had been vacant from the death of Mr. Adams, a 
j)eriod of four years, and the congregation had declined and 
i)ecome careless of attending the public services. But the ad- 
vent of a Huenl and brilliant preacher, not yet twenty-three 
years of age, brought back all the absentees and filled the 
house with a curious and admiring audience. It was there- 
fore under very flattering auspices that Mr. Byles was induct- 
efl int(j office. 

Me was himself his own best letter of recommendation, for 
he had a graceful pcrs(jn, and a gocKl deliverv ; was well read 
as a theologian, expressed himself easilv, and managed an ar- 
gument with considerable skill and force. In addition to this 
he had the advantage of a distinguished ancestry, being de- 
s( ended from the Rev. Increase Mather, and the Rev. John 
Cotton, eminent divines of the early days of New England. 

His father, the Rev. Dr. Byles, of Boston, enjoved a high 
reputation, not only as a fine sch(ilar and popular preacher, 
but alsf) a respectable poet and a man of e.xuberent wit. All 
these circumstances conspired to raise the expectations of the 
l)eople to a high standard, and the young preacher was receiv- 
ed at once with ovcrllowing enthusiasm. 

The salary of Mr. Byles was fixed at ^100 per annum, with 
a gratuity of ^250 at his settlement. It was decided to dis- 
card the levying of rates and to raise the salary by an assess- 
ment on the pews. So popular was the preacher, that this 
was expected to be an easy mattt-r. Bui the house itself was 
too contracted to accomnK)date all wlu; wished to hear the 
general favorite. The gallery was therefore enlarged and 
formed into pews, and available spaces for new pews below 
were sold for ^10 each. 



60 NEW LONDON. 

On the third Sunday after his ordination, Mr. Byles received 
into the church, Col. Gurdon Saltonstall, (oldest son of the 
former governor) and his wife Rebecca, daughter of the Hon. 
John Winthrop. The deacons of his church were Thomas 
Fosdick, and Capt. Pygan Adams, and he had many discreet 
and able men in his congregation, to sustain him with their 
influence. Nathaniel Shaw, Daniel Coit, Major Chas. Bulk- 
ley, Titus Hurlbut, Richard Law, Russell Hubbard, John 
Richards, Jolin Winthrop, David Gardiner, Col. Stephen Lee, 
Christopher Christophers, Nicholas Hallam, Jeremiah Miller, 
Winthrop Saltcjnstall, Daniel Deshon, and many other gentle- 
men of similar standing were pew-holders and regular attend- 
ants upon the service. It is true that comparatively few of 
the prominent men at that time were embodied in church fel- 
lowship. The church, before the ordination of Mr. Byles, had 
discarded the Saybrook platform of discipline, and the govern- 
ment was administered in the most liberal and lenient form of 
Congregationalism. 

Soon after his settlement, Mr. Byles purchased a lot and 
built a house which is still extant, (north cc^rner of Main and 
Douglass streets.) It escaped the torch of the enemy in 1781, 
at which time it was known as the Packwood house, and has 
since been owned by David Mumford, Coddington Billings, 
and others.' 

But a change of opinion in regard to church government at 
length passed over him. He became without the knowledge 
of his people, an Episcopalian in sentiment, and he applied 
for his dismissal. 

The male members of the church having been assembled 
one afternoon early in April, 1768, by summons from their 
minister, were electrified by being informed of his cliange 
of sentiment, and that he had received an invitation from 
the wardens and vestry of the North Church in Boston to 
become their pastor. This result, he said was not of his 
own seeking; he had not applied for the situation; it had 



1 This stately old buildine;, somewhat modernized and improved, is now the property 
and pleasant residence of the descendants of Ili-zekiah Goddard, E^q., one of tlie for- 
mer liiKhly esteemed citizens of the town. 



^'KW LONDON. 01 

been wholly broui^lit iibovit by the niyslerious workinj^ of 
Providence and the Divine Hand was so evident in it, that he 
eoidd not but follow where it led. 

A formal application to be dismissed was niatle a feu" days 
later in a letter lo tlie "First Ecclesiastical Society in New 
London." 

At a society meetini^ of the same date, this letter was read 
and a vote passed unanimously to grant his request and dis- 
charge him from his contract as a minister. In less than a 
week he left New L(jndon with his fannly. lie S(K)n went to 
England for ordination, and returning U> H(jston, (officiated as 
pastor of the North Church, till the rev(jluti(on. When the 
British troops evacuated Boston, in March 1776, Mr. Bylesac- 
companied them to Halifax, and for two years remained at 
that place as chajjiain to the garrison. He was afterwards 
pastor f)t a Parish at St. John's N. B., where he died in March, 
1814. nearly eighty years of age. 

The business interests of the town had revived, and New 
London from 179910 1S05 had rapidly recovered her former 
prosperitv. But as early as 1S06, the depredations ot Brili.sii 
cruisers and privateers on American commerce commenced, 
and the commercial interests of the place, in common with 
other New England towns were seri(;usly injured. Appeals 
were made to the British government to repeal or modify her 
unjust edicts, in her warfare against France in the restrictions 
imposed on American neutral vessels, but in vain. Our llag 
was insulted, our merchant vessels boarded, and their < reus 
frequently imjoressed into the British service. The coiumer- 
cial j)ropertv of American citizens to an immense amoiiiu had 
been seized and confiscated, and yet the British government 
refused to listen to appeal or entreaty. In 1S12 these repeat- 
ed outrages culminated in a formal (k< laration of war bv our 
g<)vernment against (jreat Britain. 

When hostilities commenced, this, like the war of the revo- 
lution, bore heavily on the tow n. The eiuire naval force of 
the I'nited States consisted of only twenty vessels exclusive 
of gun boats, with ;in armament ot but little more than five 
hundred guns — a mere muscpiito lleet to cope with the jxtwer- 
ful naval forces of Great Britain. Consicjuenlly our sea coast 



62 NEW LONDON. 



thousands of miles in extent, was Very seriously exposed to 
the depredations of the invaders. New London in particular 
was a prominent point of interest with the enemy. The Brit- 
ish commanders however had not forgotten the severe recep- 
tion of their troops in 1781, and were wary in their attempts 
at landing and in their offensive operations. But their vessels 
severely harassed and annoyed the citizens. Early in June, 
1813, the frigates United States and Macedonian, and the gal- 
lant little sloop of war Hornet, was pursued by Sir Thomas 
Hardy with his flag ship, the Ramillies, and a fleet of smaller 
vessels, into the harbor, and the city and naval vessels were 
kept under a strict blockade until the close of the war. 

A few days after the appearance of Hardy's fleet, the arrival 
of four more ships and frigates with a number of smaller 
vessels arrived and joined it, making a formidable naval force 
whose threatening aspect caused general alarm among the in- 
habitants, many of whom too well remembered the sad scenes 
of I 781. Major Simeon Smith with a company of volunteers 
hastily prepared to give the invaders a warm reception, should 
they make an attempt to enter the harbor or enforce a land- 
ing. The old Fort Griswold, the scene of the massacre thirty- 
two years previous was put in the best possible condition to 
resist the enemy. But no landing was attempted, although 
several feints by the vessels near the mouth of the harbor in- 
dicated such a purpose. The inhabitants of the town were 
kept in a constant state of suspense and apprehension. Com- 
mod(}re Decatur with his three war vessels retreated up the 
river as far as Gale's Ferry, and threw up a light entrench- 
ment on the neighboring heights. 

About this time an affair took place which exasperated the 
officers of the blockading squadron, and embittered their sub- 
sequent intercourse with the people on the coast, although the 
latter had no agency in the offensive act A schooner, called 
the Eagle, owned in New York, was prepared as a kind of tor- 
pedo vessel, and sent into the sound to make an experiment 
upon the enemy. She had a show of naval stores on board, 
and was captured by the British, west of New London harbor, 
near Millstone Point. The crew took to their, boats, and 
reached the shore in safety. The British officer, after taking 



NEW LOyiKJN. u;j 



possessitjn of the schooner, attempted to tow lirr up to the 
Ramillics, but finding that she fell to leeward, lie aiu hored at 
the distance of three-fourths (if a mile from llial \essel. Sud- 
deiiiv, in less than three- liours after the deserliuii ol her crew, 
and the seizure bv the British, the Eagle exphjded with ])ro- 
digious force, and was scattered into fragments. A shower of 
pitch and tar fell upon the Ramillies; timber and stones were 
hurled aloft, and the waters around thrcnvn into great ctjmmo- 
tion. A second lieutenant and ten men, who were on board 
the schooner, were killed, and several men in boats were bad- 
ly wounded. 

This was wholly a private undertaking; the government 
had nothing to do with it. The owners had fitted the Eagle 
as a fire ship, with a secret piece of mechanism concealed with- 
in, which, when set in motion, would cause an exjilosion alter 
a certain interval. Iler Iiold, under the appearance of ballast, 
C(jntained four hundred pounds of powder, and various other 
combustibles, with ponderous stones and destructive imijle- 
ments, sufficient to inflict a terrible blov.- u})on any shi[) ol 
war, along side of which she might be brought, a blow which 
the Ramillies barely escaped. 

General Jirah Isham cijmmanded at that time at New J^on- 
don. and the ne.xt morning C(jmmodore Hardv sent a flag of 
truce up to the town, with the following communication : 

"To jirah Isham, Hrig.-fien. commanding at New London. 
I am under the necessity oi requesting yaw U) make it public- 
ly known that I cannot [)ermit vessels or boats of any descri[)- 
tion, (Ihigs of truce of course excejited,) to approach or pass 
the British srpiadron, in consequence of an American vessel 
having exjiloded yesterday, three hours after she was in our 
possession." ' 

It was said, on English authority, that the brave Sir Tiiomas 
Ilardv, while occupying the Sf)und with a powerfid srpiadron, 
and (arrving his flag in a seventy-four, never remained at 
anchor during the night, and rarely left the deck except by 
day, in order to insure safety from l''nlt<m's torpedoes But a 

1 Hiwiory of Nfw Loiicloii, |i|i. (KW 3. 



64 NEW LONDON. 



more certain if not more terrific mode of attack was, at that 
time afloat, and nearly ready for service in the waters of New 
York. This was the steam Battery, miscalled Frigate, Fulton. 
This vessel, formidable enouo;h in reality, had been represented 
by correspondents of English newspapers as a monster of pro- 
digious power. An hundred guns of enormous calibre were 
said to be inclosed in fire and bomb-proof shelters; the upper 
deck was reported to be "defended by thousands of boarding 
pikes and cutlasses wielded by steam, while showers of boiling 
water were ready to be poured over those that might escape 
death from the rapidly whirling steel." In reality, the vessel 
presented above the surface of the water the figure of an oval, 
whose greatest length was about the same as that of an Eng- 
lish seventy-four. This was covered by a continuous spar 
deck, at either extremity of which was mounted, on a revolv- 
ing carriage, a chambered gun, capable of throwing a solid 
ball of loo lbs., but intended, as is well known, to throw 
shells Beneath the spar deck was the gun deck, also contin- 
uous, except in the middle, where space was left for the work- 
ing of a large paddle wheel ; and on this gun-deck was mount- 
ed a battery of thirty-two 32 pounders. The sides of the 
vessel were thickened by cork and wood, not only between 
the guns, but as low as the water's edge, and incapable of 
being penetrated by a 32-pound ball. Beneath the gun-deck 
the hull was formed as if of a vessel cut in two, leaving a pas- 
sage from stem to stern for water to reach and to be thrown 
backwards from the wheel. Two rudders were placed in this 
passage, moving on their centres. The boilers and the greater 
part of the machinerv were below the reach of shot, and even 
the wheels could be reached but by a stray shot, passing un- 
impeded and in a proper direction through the port-holes. 

In June of that year, Major General Burbeck, as before 
stated, arrived from Newport and assumed the command of 
the district. The troops on duty, in all amounting to about 
one thousand of the militia of the state, were transferred 
to the general government, and subsequently dismissed, 
leaving the town entirely defenceless. Not a soldier re- 
mained on duty.' Forts Trumbull and Griswold were com- 

i See page 43. 



^'L'^V IJiMxtN. Gr, 



plctcly evacuated, and all this with a liritish ^fjuadron <jf 
seven ships of the line and iVii^ates and other vessels Ivinjr at 
the entrance of the sound, within twt) hours sail of the harbor. 
I'ntler these circumstances the governor, (jn (ien. Hurbeck's 
application, authorized (General Williams to call out as lari^c 
a bodv of the militia as exigencies should demand. 

" The blockade henceforth assumed a most rigorous charac- 
ter. The enemy resolved tc^ leave nothing atUjat. The sound 
was alive with i)etty warfare. Every creek and bay were 
searched, and nothing in the form of boat, slocjj) or smack 
surtered to live. Yankee enterprise prolonged tlie task of the 
invaders, and obliged them to destroy by inches, and to niulli- 
|)ly and repeat the blows, before they could ruin the traffic, 
and clear the coast of sails and oars." ' 

\'aried and numerous were the events of the l(jwn and 
neighborhood during these three successive years of ccui- 
stant rigorous blockade. One of these specially worth v 
of note is narrated by Miss Caulkins. "The sloop [uno, 
Capt. John Howard, continued to ply back and fortii between 
New London and New York, during the whole war with but 
a single serious accident. That was the loss of her mast by a 
shot of the enemy, after being driven into Saybrook harbor. 
Her enter|jrising commander was well acquainted with the 
sound, made his trips during the darkest nights and in severest 
storms, guided often by the lantern lights of the enemy's ships, 
as he repeatedly ran through their bhjckading scpiadron. lie 
was narrowly watched and several times pursued by their 
boats and barges, but always eluded ca|)ture. Sometimes 
when too closely j)ursued, a spirited fire from his cannon, four 
pieces of whi( h he always carried on de( k, oidv to be used in 
defence, would drive away his |Hirsuers aiul sec u re his little 
craft from further molestation. The fact that the enemy were 
fully apprized of his times of departure and expected arrivals, 
and in fact all his movements through the newspajiers, which 
they could easily obtain, reiulers it the more remarkable th.il 
she escaped their vigilance." 

It is remarkable that during the whole war not a man in 
Connecticut was killed, notwithstanding the long and vig<j- 



1 MisH CaulkiiiM Ilifitury. pp. 03-i. 



66 NEW LONDON. 



roiis blockade and the many encounters between detachments 
of the enemy and the inhabitants. One person only, a Mr. 
Dolph, lost his life on the waters of the coast, off Saybrook, 
while engaged with others in recovering two prizes taken by 
the enemy. Such a fact appears almost miraculous. 

Commodore Decatur entertained the hope that some oppor- 
tunity would offer for his escape with his vessels during the 
winter, and watched for an opportunity favorable to his design. 
His vessel, dropped down and remained at anchor opposite the 
town and quietly remained waiting for some remissness of 
vigilance on the part of the enemy. At length the favorable 
time seemed to have arrived. A dark night, a favorable wind, 
and fair tide, all gave every expectation of success. But just 
as the little fleet were about to start, "blue lights" appeared 
on both sides of the river! Such an unusual occurrence gave 
strong suspicions that these were concerted signals to the 
enemy, and notwithstanding every preparation had been made 
with the most profound secrecy, the commodore considered 
himself betrayed and relinquished his intentions, making no 
further effort to run the blockade. 

Although he was firm in his belief that his intentions were 
thus signalled to the enemy it was indignantly denied by the 
citizens that any traitorous designs existed, and that the lights 
were accidental, or that those who reported them to the com- 
modore were mistaken. He, however, removed his two large 
vessels up the river, where they were dismantled and only a 
guard left on board. The Hornet, remained at New London 
and subsequently slipped out of the harbor, and eluding cap- 
ture, reached New York in safety. 

The restoration of peace in 1815 was an occasion of general 
rejoicing. Our enemies became friends, and receptions, balls 
and public rejoicings signalized the event, in which the officers 
of the British squadron cordially participated and who were 
as cordially received by the citizens of the town. Such was 
the close of the war of 181 2. 

As a commercial town New London became early noted in 
the Colony. Ever sagacious and on the alert, the people were 
not slow to improve the facilities offered by the natural ad- 
vantages of the place for engaging in commercial pursuits. 



NEW LONDON. 



Wlieat, peas, Indian corn, b«;et" and pork, with liHimpum, con- 
stituted the common currency and were termed merchantable 
or country pay. 

As early as 1659, nine persons were appointed by tlie gen- 
eral court, one tor each of the small ports in the colony, to 
enter and record such goods as were subject to customs. 
John Smith was appointed custom-master for New London. 
The office was unimpcxrtant in jioint of fees, as an order of the 
general court in 1654, allowed all articles, except wine and 
liquors, to be received free of duty. Under the term Ii(/iiois, 
however, the spirit called rum, which was then a recent pro- 
duct of the English West India Islands, was not included, but 
strictly prohibited.' Daniel Wetherill was subsequently a])- 
pointed to the office, and was the last person who held it bv 
colonial authority. He was, however, reappointed by the Sur- 
veyor General of the jjlantations under commission from the 
treasury board of the mother country, "as deputy collector and 
searcher for Connecticut" in 1685, the whole colony being 
thrown into one district for the collection of customs, and 
held his office about twenty years. 

The btnlding (jf vessels commenced about 1660, by John 
Coit, or Coite, and was continued by Joseph Coit, Hugh 
Mould, John Stiness and others. The "barques" Spcriiu<rll, 
Hopewell ^Vi^ Endeavour were among the first vessels construc- 
ted, and in 1661 the iV^7<:' London Tryall, the first merchant ves- 
sel in the place, was built by John Elderkin and was regarded 
a remarkable affair, "costing, exclusive of iron work, spikes 
and nails, ^1^200." 

The early coasting trade was principally with Boston. 
Household goods, clothing, powder, lead and inililary ac- 
couterments, also implements of husbandry, were obtained, 
and returns made in "peltins and wampum." Small vessels and 
boats trafficked with Long Island, Rhode Island and elsc- 



1 It Im recordod In New London, lilt. H, " lliat whntHocver Dnrhndocn luiiiorH, conimnnly 
callril rum, klll-d<!vll, or tin- like, kIiiiII Ik- Imirlt'd In nny pln<-(< In (IiIh jurixdlrtlon, (Irnwnc 
or f<oiild in iiny v<-m«i-I lyint; In any liurlior or roadr in iliix (oinnionwrnllh, Hhall In- all for- 
fi-tod and conllHCutcd to Ihc connnonwi-altli. '/'«- ' •"iHiii'ii llMury, mi. !5J(t. 



G8 NEW LONDON. 



where, and soon the trade extended to New York, and as far 
as Virginia. Dry hides and buckskins constituted the princi- 
pal commerce with the latter place/ 

During the year 1660, a circumstance of some note occured 
in the town. The ship Hope, from Malaga, Spain, came into 
harbor in want of provisions. She had been chartered for 
Virginia and was loaded with wine, rasins and almonds, des- 
tined for that port. But her voyage had been long and the 
weather tempestuous, and the storm beaten vessel was leaky 
and obliged to put in to this port for repairs. Her cargo was 
found to be damaged, and the state of affairs in Virginia was 
n(jt favorable for its shipment to that colony. As the vessel 
needed "trimming and sheathing" and required the discharge 
(jf the cargo for that purpose, it was sold at New London and 
the supercargo of the vessel, Mr. Robert Loveland, became a 
resident of the town. He entered fully into commercial af- 
fairs of the place and prosecuted a voyage to Newfoundland 
for the purpose of trade and barter. He afterwards purchased 
a tract of land at Green Harbor, intending to build wharves 
and warehouses, and to make it a port of entry for the town. 
Finding the spot unfavorable for the purpose, he abandoned 
the project, and after a few years died, assigning all his estate, 
"whether lands, houses, horses, cattle, debts due by book, bill 
or bond, either in New England, \'irginia, or elsewhere," to 
Alexander Pygan. 

Commercial relations between New London and Newfound- 
land were early established. Pork, beef and other provisions 
were shipped there,- and dry fish, and frequently West India 
produce, were taken in return. This trade continued until 
after 1700. 

Between New London and Barbadoes an early commercial 
intercourse was established. A regular voyage was made 
twice a year to that island with horses, cattle, beef, pork, and 
frequently pipe staves, which were exchanged for sugar and 
molasses. This trade was the most lucrative business of the 



1 "The least buckskin was to weijjh was four pounds and a half. A pound and a half of 
hides was equal in value to a pound of buckskin— one pound of hides equalled two pounds 
of old iron— two jjounds of hides equalled one pound of old pewtiT. Here are old iron and 
old pewter, having a fixed value, as articles of barter and merchandize!— Ma'-' Cmilkins. 



NEW LOM)ON. (il) 

period. McrcluuUs of Hartford, Middletown and Wcthers- 
fifld made shipments from tliis town. Captains from the 
river towns olten tool< in tlieir cari^oes at New Loinhin.' 

In 1666, Mould and Coit, pieviously referred to as the Icad- 
ini^ sliipbiiilders in New Lontloii, humched the sh\\) iVnv Lon- 
don, a 70 ton vessel, beini^ larger tiian any vessel heretofore 
constructed in the place. The TWri' London was designed for 
and emploved in European voyages. In 1678, the same build- 
ers completed the largest, undoubtedly, of all the vessels built 
bv tliem, viz, the /o/m and Hester, of ab<nit 100 tons burden, 
which made several successful voyages under the command of 
John and Jonathan Prentis, who were part owners of the 
vessel. 

The West India trade assumed (juile an important place in 
.New London. ()ii tlu' 26th of June, 1724, six vessels sailed at 
onetime for the West India Islands, all freighted with cargoes 
of horses, which at that time constituted a principal article of 
exp(jrt tiMiM the town. ICigiit years previcnis, in 1716, men- 
tion is made by Miss Caulkins of a shipment by one vessel 
of tbrty-five horses to Barbadoes. 

In 1723, "JeflVey's great ship" was commenced and launched 
in (Jctober, 1825. Its burden was 700 tons, and it was the 
largest vessel at that time ever built this side of the .\tlantic, 
aufi excited much interest and attention tiirouglioui the 
C(d(uiy. New London at that period had acquired a reputa- 
tion for building large shijjs. This port is noticed bv 
Douglas, in his history of the Hrilish seltlcineuts published 
previous t(< 1750, in which he describes Connecticut as lia\ing 
eight commercial shipping p(jrts for small crafts, but "all 
masters," he remarks, "can enter and clear at the port ot 
New Lfjndon, having a good harbor aiul deep water." Ik- 
adds, also, " here they build large ships." 



1 Tlif followiiij; rtTcipt »<howH the coiniMirativi- vnliio of Iwo prime nrtlclcH of cxrlmni^. 

"Hiirlimloff :- I iindcrurit, do lnT«;l>y arkiii(\vlr<li.'t' lo linvc r«!rrivi'<l of Mr. •Ii-ffrcy Chrli*- 
t<>|ilirrit iiiiu bl. of pork jut iitrnniit of Mr. Hi'iijiiiiiiii llrcWHicr, tlic whicli I Imvr hoIiI for 
WKl lliH. of miirnr. -KlUha Snit/oul, Auij. 18. Hi7l. 

"Triu? copy of ihi; ri-ccipt -which wnx itciit hiick to HiirlindtN'H by Mr. (IIIch IIhiiiIiii in the 
chip .Inhii n-id .lumen, Oct. ail. KiTI. t'harl»n lllll. lU-conliT."— il/i*i VanUiiui llhlnnj. 



70 NEW LONDON. 



The commercial enterprises of New London continued to in- 
crease and were generally successful until British aggressions 
and the war of the revolution interrupted, and finally closed 
all its commercial relations. 

The first collector of the port of New London was Gen. 
Jedediah Huntington. He was, as before stated, at one 
time one of Washington's aids and a special favorite un- 
der his command. He performed his duties as collector with 
promptness and fidelity from the close of the revolutionary 
war to the second rupture with Great Britain. It is said that 
at least eighty coasters were owned principallv at Norwich 
and New London, and one hundred and fifty sail of merchant 
vessels entered and cleared at the port of New London. The 
receipts of the office were from $50,000 to $200,000 annually. 
Mr. Huntington performed this large amount of business in a 
single room, the office being in the second story of a store at 
the corner of Bank street and the Parade. 

He was succeeded in 1815 by General Thomas H. Gushing, 
who held the office until his death in 1822. He had served in 
the revolutionary war, and in 1790 held a commission as cap- 
tain in the army of St. Clair. During the second war with 
Great Britain in 1813 he attained the rank of brigadier 
general. 

Capt. Richard Law was appointed his successor and con- 
tinued in office eight years, followed by Ingoldsby W. Craw- 
ford, eight years, Charles P. Lester, four years, Wolcott Hunt- 
ington, a short term, Lester again until his decease in 1846; 
after which Thomas Muzzey and Nicholl Fosdic, the latter re- 
ceiving his appointment in 1849. More recently the office 
has been successively filled by Henry Hobart, J. P. C. Mather, 
Edward Prentis, George T. Marshall and John A. Tibbits, the 
present incumbent. 

In 1833 the present fine granite structure on Bank street 
was erected by the government as the Custom House for this 
district, at a cost of $30,000. Its accommodations are ample and 
convenient, quite in contrast with the little cramped up loft 
occupied by tlie early collectors. Its door has peculiar in- 
teresting historical associations, being constructed of oak from 



NEW LONDON. 71 



the old frii^ixtc Constitution, reserved tor that purpose. Tlie 
present miinber of vessels in the district of New London is 
192, with a toiinat^e of 20,552.06. 

New London was noted for tlie early steam navigation of 
the Sound. In 1S16, one year after the close of tlie war, tiie 
first trip troni New York was made l)y the Conncitiiiit,C;\\)\.\\m 
Hunker, on the 28th (jf September, in twenty-one hours, con- 
sidered a remarkable and triumphant success in steam navie^a- 
ti(jn at that time, .\fterwards she commenced ruuniiii^ in 
regular line to New Haven twice a week, connecting with the 
Fultcjn at that place for New York. The fare then established 
to the latter place was $9.00 for each passenger. In 1S44 
freight boats propelled by steam were introduced, and have 
since been very largely employed as propellors in the freight 
department of the transportation lines between New York and 
Boston. 

New London is als(; distinguished in this and foreign 
countries in connection with the early history of steam navi- 
gation. Capt. Moses R(jgers, commander, and his brother-in- 
law, Capt. Stevens Rogers, sailing-master of the steamship 
Siwanna/i, bcjth natives of New London, were the first to navi- 
gate a steam vessel across the Atlantic. Their little ship of 
350 tons burden, sailed from Savannah Mav 26th, 1819, and 
marie the passage to Liverpool in twenty-one days. From 
Liverpool she proceeded to Copenhagen, Stockholm, and 
Sweden. Iler arrival at each of the ports produced great ex- 
citement. The little American steam craft was heralded in 
the public journals and visited as a wonder of the age. 
"Bernad<Ute, King of Sweden, and the Emperor of Russia, 
with their nobles and public officers, not only came on board 
to examine the vessel, but tested her j)erf(jrmance by short ex- 
cursifjns in the neighboring waters." She left Aruiukl in 
Norway and niatle her passage back to Savannah in twenty- 
five days.- Ca|)t. Moses Rfjgers was presented witii an elegant 
silver tea urn and other costly gifts by the I'.mpcror ol kii - 
sia, and Capt. Steven Rogers received from Lord Lyndock, 
an Lnglish nfjbleman who was a passenger in the steamer 
from Siockholiii to St. Petersburg, a massive gold sniill-box. 
Ihis is now in the possession of tin- lamlly. 



72 NEW LONDON. 



The whaling business of New London has been one of im- 
portance and success. The enterprise, energy and seaman- 
ship of so large a portion of her citizens were important 
qualifications for this hardy and somewhat perilous occupa- 
tion. As early as 1647 the general court at Hartford passed a 
resolution granting a monopoly and exclusive privilege "for 
the taking of whale" within its jurisdiction, to one. Mr. Whit- 
ing for seven years.' We hear nothing further of Mr. Whit- 
ing's project, and tlie probability is that it did not prove a 
success. It was not unusual, however, that whales were often 
seen in and outside the Sound, and sometimes were pursued 
and caught by the hardy fishermen of the place." 

At first the only whaling expeditions were small sloops 
fitted and sent out for a few weeks voyage, the extent of which 
rarely or never extended beyond the banks of Newfoundland, 
but tlie business increased and larger vessels and longer voy- 
ages became common. After 1770, voyages were made to the 
Brazil banks, and the number of vessels from various j)arts 
employed in the business increased, until in 1775 Nantucket 
alone had 150 vessels and 2,000 men employed in whaling'. 
In 1784 the New London Gazette announced the sailing of the 
sloop Rising Sun on a whaling voyage. In 1794 the ship Com- 
tncrce, owned and fitted out at East Haddam, sailed from New 
London, and in iSoo a small ship called the Miantinomali was 
sent out by Norwich parties, and sailed from New London, 
and passed around Cape Horn. She was, however, seized at 
Valparaiso by Spanish authorities and condemned. 

In 1802, the ship Dispatc/i, Howard, was fitted out at New 
London to cruise in the South Seas after whale, but the voy- 
age was not repeated. In 1805 i\\c Dauphin was purchased by 
Dr. Samuel H. P. Lee, through whose efforts a company was 



1 "If Mr. Whiting, with any otlnrs. shall make trial and prosecnte a design for tlie talking 
of wliale, within these liberties, and if \\\w\\ trial within the term of two years they shall 
like to go on, no other shall be suffered to interrupt them for the the term of seven years." 
— Colonial litmrdx. 

2 " The whale fishery on the south side of Long Island has considerably increased. Lat- 
terly It has been much neglected. But last winter a number of whales were caught and 
killed by the inhabitants, who attacked them in boats launched from the shore."— A'ew 
York Daily Adrtrtiser. piiblis/ied 1802. 

3 History of Nantucket. 



NEW LONDON. 



formed and tlic vessel fitted out for the Brazil banks. She 
made a successful voyas^c and returned with her car<^(j in June, 
1 806. After this the business was continued and increased 
until the embargo, followed by tlie war of i8i 2, conii)letL-ly 
broke up the business. 

After the return of peace U) the country, the West India 
trade never rcvi\c(l. but in 1819 the whaling interest re- 
commenced uiuler the late lion. Thomas W. Williams and 
Daniel Deshon, \\]u, engaged with their characteristic energy 
in the new enterprise. Messrs. N. & W. W. Billings followed 
in 1827, and fitted out three ships in the business. These en- 
terprising pi(jneers in the whaling interest were soon fol- 
lowed by others. Benjamin Brown & Sons, Miner, Lawrence 
& Co., Perkins & Smith, Williams & Barnes, Lyman Allyn, 
Frink ^i: I'rentis, Thomas Fitch, 2d, \i. V. Stoddard, Weaver, 
Rogers & Co., and several others, including Williams, Haven 
& Co., mcjre recently Haven, Williams i^c Co., all of wlu^u 
have ccuitributed largely by their energy antl cnteri)rise to the 
wealth and growth of the city. In 1845 the number of ships, 
brigs, and other vessels employed was 78, the tonnage (^f 
of which exceeded largely that (jf any other port in the United 
States, New Bedford only excepted. Many of these vessels 
made remarkable voyages. That of the Clematis, Capt. Ben- 
jiinuM, fitted out bv Williams ^c Barnes, which returned in 
1841, mrule her voyage in little less than eleven months, sailed 
round the globe, and brought home 2,548 barrels of oil — a 
vovage worthv (jf historic record. ( )f the scores of hardy, 
enterprising men commanding the lunnerous vessels engagetl 
in the whaling business we njight add verv largely, but the 
foregoing record must suffice. Capt. John Rice the oldest in 
C(»mmission whaling cai)laiii of the port, dieil in 187^, at the 
age of 75 \ears. 

The late lb. 11. II. I'. Haven, with Richard 11. Cha|)ell, were 
aniotig the first and most at live originators of the Alaska 
Commercial com|)anv, — one <.)f the most important and suc- 
cessful enterprises in the country, (levelo|)ing the resources of 
this newly accpiired territory and yielding to tin- government 
annually $250,000 in rent and royalty. .Mi Haven was one 
of the irtislees (jI the company, and to his inlluence and elloils 



74 NEW LONDON. 



may in a good degree be attributed the wise and hvimane pro- 
visions of its lease from the government, providing for the 
education and protection of the natives of that remote region.* 

A circumstance of considerable note occurred during the 
winter of 1855 in connection with the whaling interest of the 
town. This was the arrival in the harbor of the English ship 
Resolute from the Arctic regions, brought in by Capt. James 
M. Budington of the whale ship George Henry, of this port. 
The Resolute was a vessel of 600 tons burden, staunch and 
strongly built in England, with reference to encountering the 
hazards of polar navigation, and fitted with special regard for 
that purpose. She was one of a fleet of five vessels sent out 
by the British government to search for Sir John Franklin 
and his crew, under command of Sir Edward Belcher. The 
effort, it will be recollected, was unsuccessful. The Reso- 
lute, in the vicinity of Melville Island, was separated from her 
consorts, became entangled in the ice, and, unable to extricate 
herself, was soon surrounded by an icefield hundreds of miles 
in extent. After remaining in this condition several months, 
with no prospect of release, she was abandoned by the captain 
and crew, who returned home in the other vessels of the ex- 
pedition in safety, leaving their own ship to her fate, im- 
prisoned beyond escape, as they supposed, in the impenetrable 
icefields of the north. 

In September, 1855, sixteen months after her abandonment, 
Capt. Budington and his crew found this vessel while in Davis 
Straits, and took possession of the abandoned ship. She had 
drifted at least eleven hundred miles from the place where 
she had been left by her crew nearly a year and a half previ- 
ous. Every thing on board was precisely in the condition in 
which they had been left. The furniture of the officer's room 
was undisturbed. The lamps, bottles, wine glasses, and other 
articles stood on the table as they were left after their final 
parting health was drank, apparently to the discoverers but a 
few hours previous. In the cabin, books lay open just as they 
were laid down from their last perusal, and every thing ap- 



1 The i>rc'8ciit tonnage oniployod in the wliiilu and seal i\A\\\\-i in New London is l,G7;J.ai. 
TLirtcon veseels arc engai,'cd in the bus-iness. 



NEW LONDON. 75 



pcared as tlioiigh left but for the briefest absence. Capt. Bud- 
iiiijton transferred a pari of liis own crew to the al^andoned 
vessel and, after a rou<;h and perilous voyaj^e of ahout one 
hundred days, brought her safely into New l.ondon harbor. 

The I\fSi>Iutc- lay at New I.cjndon seven months and was 
visited bv thousands ot people from our own and other towns, 
some far distant, with the greatest interest. 'J'he government, 
however, very properly paid a liberal redemption for her to the 
rescuers and totjk possession of the vessel. After having her 
fully repaired and j)ut in the best condition, she was returned 
to the Hritish g<nernmcnt as a i)resent, under the command of 
Cajit. Ilartstene of the United States navy. Ca])t. II. was the 
(jflicer that in 1853 had been sent to the Polar seas to relieve 
Capt. Kane, who commanded the "Second General Expedition 
to the Arctic regions." 

The educational interests of the town have not been neglect- 
ed. As early as 1763, Mr. Robert Bartlet, a gentleman of 
handsome property but no family, bequeathed his entire estate 
to the town for educational purposes. For several years this 
estate remained in the hands of trustees. In 1678, the general 
assembly passed a law requiring the maintainance of a school 
to teach children to read and write, by every town of thirty 
families in the colony. In 1698 the town voted a tax for a free 
school, to teach children reading, writing, arithmetic and the 
latin language, and in 1701 a grammar school was established 
and the revenue of the Hartlet estate was directed to be used 
for the benefit of the poor who attended the school. In 17 13, 
the first school house of which there is any account, was liuilt 
near the present site of the house of the late Hon. II. P. 
Haven, and the school taught there was denoiuinated the 
"New London Grammar Scoool," which, in after years, was 
changed to the " Partlet ScIkxjI," or "Hartlet (iranuuar 
School." 

The Free Grammar School, located first on Ilemjjslead 
street, was afterwards remc)ved and i)laced in ilie highway for 
the convetdence f)f the j)upiis. Probably not an individu.il 
now remains who attended Master Owen's school in that low, 
one story, (piaint franur structure. In 1795, this was aban- 
doned and ;i large and more (dtntiiodious brii k building 



76 NEW LONDON. 



erected in the highway south of the Court House. This re- 
mained nearly forty years, and was superseded by another and 
more eligible edifice on Union street. The two most noted 
teachers in this school were Master John Owen and Dr. 
Ulysses Dow, each of whom occupied that position about 
forty years. Some of our present citizens will recollect the 
many eccentricities of Doctor Dow, and his peculiar mode of 
administering his various prescriptions to his pupils. 

The Union School, established in 1774, was intended to 
furnish facilities for a thorough English education and a 
classical preparation for college. A building was erected for 
this purpose on State, near Union street,' the latter of whicli 
was not then opened. Its first preceptor, the lamented Nathan 
Hale before alluded to, occupied it in 1775.^ After his volun- 
tary enlistment and appointment in the American army, his 
successors were Seth Williston, a graduate of Dartmouth Col- 
lege, who afterwards attained celebrity in the ministry, Jacob 
Gurley, afterwards a lawyer of ncjte in New London, Ebenczer 
Learned, a graduate of Yale College, then but nineteen 
years of age — afterwards, Knight of the Medical College of 
New Haven; Olmstead of Yale, Mitchell of the University of 
North Carolina, and others who have since been men of note 
in the community. 

The building was afterwards removed, the land on which it 
stood was sold, a new charter obtained, and a reorganization 
took place. A brick building was erected on Huntington 
street and the school flourished for a few years, but in 1S50 it 
was discontinued and the building sold.' 

In 1799 a Female Academy was incorporated by the Legis- 
lature and a building erected by the proprietors on Green 
street. This was continued about thirty years. In 1834 a new 
and commodious building was erected on Broad street, and 
placed under charge of Rev. Daniel Huntington, and was sus- 
tained several years under Mr. H. P. Farnsworth, who 
succeeded him. The school has since been consolidated with 



1 The present site of the Crocker Ilousc. 

2 Still standinp;. See \)a^c 16. 

3 This is now occupied !is the Bethel Church, in charge of the Rev. Ezra Withey. 



iVA'H' LOXnON. 77 

all the oilier District srliofjls ol the jilace, and is sustained bv 
the tf)\vn, and under the title of the ^'l>unL![ Ladies Iliu^h 
School maintains an excellent reputation tor the intelli thence 
and proficienc V of its pupils. 

In 1S49, Leonard Bulkelev left with trustees a larjj^e p<trtion 
of his estate tor the purj)ose ot" touiulinLra tree school for 
hoys, and this fund, increased by the Hartlet, with some sid)- 
scfpient appro]iriations and other additions, hasu^iven the city 
the fine liuildint^- and excellent educational institution now 
occupvini^ the old town scpiare. In addition to this, the appro 
priations of the city for our well conducted and llourishinj^ 
district schools amount to i$i<S,ooo annuallv. 

In the late struq-j^^le for the jierpetuation of our jrlorious 
I'nion the patriotism of New London, as exhibited in her 
earlier history, was ecpially manifested. Of the 75,000 noble 
sons of Connecticut wIkj took part in the strujrglc, New Lon- 
don turnished more than her (piota. No petjple in their 
struggle for liberty, probably ever gave of their own free will 
so lavishly as did our gallant Connecticut volunteers. This 
town, with patri(jtic liberality, gave some of the purest and 
most promising of her noble-hearted citizens to sustain the 
government in its hour of peril, and the blood of her martyred 
heroes has enriched the soil from the heights of Arlington to 
its most remijtc southern boundary. Immediately on the news 
of the attack on F(jrt Sumptcrthe spirit of '76 fired the hearts 
of her citizens. The city flag was raised, followed bv a dis- 
play of Hags all c)ver the city, and by the shipping. At the Wil- 
son Cfimpany's works all hands were summoned and the Hag 
saluted with re{)catcd cheers. On the 19th, Mayor .1. \. Harris 
received a despatch from the Secretary of War recpiesting him 
to furnish a comj^any t(j garrison Fort Trumbull. The re- 
quest was immediately complied with, and the City (Juards 
placed on duty there. The same evening one of the largest 
and most cnthusiastif meetings ever convened in the city was 
held in and outside the Court I louse. The meeting was 
called to order by Hon. F. \i. Loomis. Hon. Nathan lielcher 
presided. Hon. Augustus Hrandegec otVered a resolution de- 
(daring that all |)olitir;d difl'erences must be buried and all 
unite to save the npublii . The resolution was passed by a 



78 NEW LONDON. 



thundering- unanimous "aye." The meeting was addressed by 
lion. A. Brandcgce, A. C. Lippitt, Thomas Fitch and others. 
A subscription for funds to arm and equip the soldiers was 
opened on the spot and headed by Mr. Brandcgee, followed 
by William H. Barns, J. N. Harris, Williams & Barns, and F. 
B. Loomis for $500 each. Other citizens followed, and ten 
thousand dollars^ was at once raised for arming and equipping 
volunteers who at once, and on the spot, pledged their faith, 
their devotion and their services to the sacred cause of the 
country. Such was the spirit that animated the hearts of our 
loyal citizens at the news of the first shot from the enemy 
against the glorious "stars and stripes" of the Union. 

With great enthusiasm volunteers offered their services. 
Enlistments rapidly followed. Some of the noblest and most 
jiromising of our youth gallantly entered the service, fired 
with the spirit of patriotism and valor. Company after com- 
pany was raised and equipped for the war, first for three 
months and then for the three years service. The daily and 
weekly papers of that period contained frequent and enthusi- 
astic notices of their departure for the fields of conflict, fol- 
lowed by the repeated cheers of their fellow citizens." 

Of all the noble hearts beating for the honor of our flag and 
volunteering for its defense from New London, we would 
gladly speak, but that would be impossible. We mention but 
a few of the officers who gallantly fell at the post of duty. 

T.icut. Wm. W. Perkins was one of the earliest and most 
ardent volunteers from New London. After establishing an 

1 The town of New London, in bounties and otherwise, paid over $40,000 for the piii)port of 
families during the absence of the soldiers, and individuals added in bounties to volunteers 
and for substitutes $18,000 more, making in all $64,000 directly contributed to the cause 
during the war in the town. In addition, boxes of clothing and comforts to the soldiers 
were given to a very large amount. 

2 Departuhe of Voi.untekus.— The third company of New London volunteers de- 
parted for Hartford to join their regiment, on the 29th ult. They were escorted by the City 
(iuards to the depot, where before leaving they were drawn up in liiu^ near the Hag staff to 
listen to addresses. Speeches were made by Messrs. Edward Prcntis, A. C. Lippitt, Thos. 
Fitch and Rev. Mr. Guiscard of the Second Baptist church. Rev. Mr. Grant of the Hunt- 
ington street Baptist church closed the exercises with prayer. There was a large gathering 
of ijcople in the neighborhood of the depot to see the volunteers off, notwithstanding the 
unfavorable condition of the weather. This company consists of a line looking body of 
young men who will doubtless give a good account of themselves should occasion offer. 
They were enthusiastically cheered by the hundreds who witnessed their departure. God 
bless them and speed them on to the rescue of our country's Hag from ignominy and 
ti\vMm'.—FainUy Repository of June, IStil. 



AJ'JW LoyjJON. 7U 

enviable rcputaiion Icjr bravery and p^allant conduct durinti^ 
several severely fuui^ht battles, lie fell at Kinston, N. C, at tlie 
he:ul uf his company cheerins^ his soldiers «>n to vi( t(jry.' I lis 
brother, Lieut. Heniaiiiin R. Perkins, was aiuijui:^ the fust to 
volunteer in the service. lie served with gallantry during 
the entire war, was engai^ed in more than thirty battles. After 
the close of hustilities he was transferred to the regular army 
and died some years since at one (jf the military stations of 
Arizona. 

Capt. Edward L. Porter was a young man of more than 
ordinary ability and great promise. He was killed at the bat- 
tle of Winchester while gallantly leading his men in a charge 
against the superior forces of the enemy. A fatal bullet 
pierced his temples and he fell, sealing with his Idood his de- 
votion to his government. He was a graduate of Vale, a 
young man of fine literary taste and attainments. He had 
adopted the practice of law with a llatlcriiig pr(;mise of dis- 
tinction in his profession. N(j nobler or purer heart ever ani- 
mated a brave soldier. Surgeon Holbro(jk said of him : — "At 
my suggestion he went t(i the h(js[)ital three days before tiie 
battle, being very feeble. I visited him the day previous and 
found him still very weak, and was surprised to find him at 
the head of his company. An officer informed me that he 
seeiried ptjssesscd of superluanan energy in the battle, antl 
gallantly led his men in the charge, when he was struck bv a 
bullet ill the forehead and died almost instantly. He left a 
bright record (jf honorable manliness. Dignil'ied and gentle- 
manly, alwavs jirompt in the conscientious disc harge of his 
duty, he attested by his death the sinceritv of his patriotism 
and sealefl with his blood his love of liberty. 

Lieut. Josej)!! Strickland was an(;ther of New I.Mndon's 
martyr henjes. He was devotedly a brave and j)atriotic 
s<;ldier. He had assistefl greatly in recruiting C"o. I, of which 
he became First i>ieutenant. C<il. Sprague, of the I'ori Huil- 

1 The Nno Lntuton Star sniil of lilin :- " It Im xcldom that wi; nn- cnllrd u|miii tii inoiirn a 
flriiuT patriot, 11 bruviT iiolilItT, or a truer or inori' i,'i-iiial frioiiil thnii I, lent. I'rrklnK. He 
H|>raiit; to aniiH with nlncrity at the llrxt call of IiIh roiiiilry, and cHlalilinht'il an cnvlahlc 
re|iiilJitioii In live hotly i-ontcxiftl hjitilcH: in the lu.-<t of which he fell where a noliller would 
ch<Mi!4<! to fall, liMidlni^' the lulvance, and cxpinxl unild the ruttlint; volleyn of hin re^niunl 
and the Imid cheern of victory." 



80 NEW LONDON. 



son charge, who knew him well and could attest to his noble 
courage, said of him : " Of the many gallant officers that there 
fell, there was none more fearless or deeply mourned than 
Lieut. Strickland." He fell at Port Hudson while gallantly 
charging the enemy. 

Capt. Horace F. Quinn, after three years of faithful service, 
was killed at the battle of Deep Run. He had served as a 
private through the three months campaign. On the organi- 
zation of the Tenth he joined it as First Lieutenant of Co. H, 
under Capt. Leggett. "Although young in years," said Col. 
Greeley, "he was a veteran soldier; twenty years of age at 
his death, he had seen more than three years of active service. 
No more brave or daring officer ever led a company than 
Captain Quinn." 

Major General Joseph A. Mower was born in Vermont and 
by trade a mechanic. He had served gallantly in the Mexican 
war and was settled in New London. Having been commis- 
sioned by President Pierce as Second Lieutenant in the regu- 
lar army, he re-entered the service, and at the time of the (out- 
break of the war was in Texas under Twiggs. He patriotical- 
ly resisted the order to surrender his men to the rebels, and 
made his way with them to the North. Fie was in the open- 
ing battle of the war in Kentucky and Tennessee, and promi- 
nent in the ca|)ture of Island No. Ten, and active at the cap- 
ture of Corinth. He was appointed Brigadier General, and 
was with Gen. A. J. Smith in the Red River expedition, and 
fought and Hanked the enemy, resulting in the cajjturc ot 
Chattanooga and Atlanta.' 

The brave Robert Leggett may be regarded as one of the 
gallant spirits of New London, although not a native of the 
town. He was one of the most energetic ])rom(jters of the 
Union cause in the ])lace and never flagged for a nKjment in 
his ))atriotic efforts. He was one of the earliest and most ac- 
tive volunteers in the struggle, and brave almost to a fault. 
He received a gold medal for gallant service as Sergeant, was 



1 " Few officers in the service," says a late writer, " have distinguished tliemselvcs like 
M()W('r. for whiU^ there may be some who posses more military genius, none are more ab- 
solutely iiiditTerent to personal danger than he." He was a favorite of Gen. Sherman, and 
had few eniinics. lie died in the regular service at New Orleans in 186!)." 



AA'ir l.<)M)<)N. «l 



proMioted to the office of Major, siicteded by that of Lieuten- 
ant Cohiiiel. h)St his le<^ at Waterier, and afterwards fought 
bravely in numerous battles, and was finallv compelled to re- 
sii^n his coniniission from disability; was one of the heroes 
of the war, and his gallantry was his^hly extolled by all who 
knew him. llis honored remains peatefully rest beneath the 
everi^reens ot our cemetery, ami his commissions, sworil and 
belt have been appropriately placed in the rooms of the His- 
torical Scjciety. 

Capt. George M. Brown was another brave soldier. He was 
severely wounded at Deep Run, but survi\ed and afterwards 
was killed at the head of Ins company before Petersburt;. lie 
left an honcjrable record for bravery in the service. 

As in the rev(duti(jn and the war of 1812, so in the war 
against the government and the banner of our (ountry, Nev,' 
London gallantly bore her part in our naval allairs during its 
continuance. In many of the conflicts that reddened our 
southern waters with the Idoftd of the noble defenders of the 
L'nion, the brave sons of New London largely shared. The 
Rodgers family of this town, one (jf whom has previously 
been referred to,' particularly might be named as conspicuous. 
"The paternal grandfather was Col. Rodgers, who commanded 
the famous Maryland line during the revolution, and was fre- 
cpiently mentioned, in Washington's despatches, for gallantry. 
Ilis eldest son was Com. John Rodgers, who fired the first 
gun in the war (jf 1H12, and was long the senior (officer (jI our 
infant navy. Another son was C(jm. George W. Rodgers, 
who, for special gallantry during the war of i<Si2, received a 
sw(jrd of honor from his native State, and a medal and a vote 
(jf thanks from Congress. C(jm. John Rodgers had two sons: 
fine of wlujm, John R(jdgers, also became (^tlnmod(U•e, and 
led the attack on Port Royal and Fort Sunipter during the 
rebellion; and another. Col. Robert Rodgers, served through 
the late war, and was twice wounded at the head of the Third 
Maryland Iidanlry. Two other grandsons of Com. bihn 
Rodgers were Capt. Raymond Rogers, who was fleet captain 



1 Scr puui- «. 



83 NEW LONDON. 



during Dupont's attack on Charleston, and Capt. George W. 
Rodgers, who was killed while commanding the nionitor Cats- 
kill, in the attack on Fort Wagner. In the family are also 
Lieut. -Commanding Frederick Rodgers, Master's Mate, Joseph 
Rodgers, and Midshipman R. P. Rodgers, and Lieut. Alex- 
ander P. Rodgers, who fell in the forlorn hope at the storming 
of Chapuletepec, who was a nephew of Col. Rodgers. One of 
the three illustrious Com. Perry's married into the family ; 
and there is probably not another name in America that will 
compare with that of Perry or Rodgers for the fame won on 
land and sea in defence of the republic."' 

To the late Richard H. Chappell of New London was com- 
niited the charge of the novel expedient of closing, temporari- 
ly, the ports of Charleston and Savannah, from whom, princi- 
pally, the enemy's swift blockade running cruisers sallied forth 
and plied their nefarious trade of attacking, plundering and 
destroying any merchant vessels that might come in their 
way. The first order was for twenty-five vessels, of from two 
hundred to four hundred tons each. Before these were 
loaded, twenty more were ordered; making a fleet of forty- 
five sail, to be dispatched at once. These were purchased, and 
the first fleet of twenty-five sailed from their respective ports 
Nov. 21, 1861; while the second fleet of twenty followed on 
the nth of December. Thirteen of these went from New 
London; the commodore for the cruise being the veteran 
Capt. John P. Rice,^ well known as a competent shipmaster. 
One or two of the fleet put back from accident; but nearly all 
were delivered to the naval commanders oft' Charleston and 
Savannah. A majority were used as at first designed, and, 
with their masts cut away, were, for a time, ugly customers 
for the keel of a blockade runner to encounter as she tried to 
dodge in or out on a dark night. Some were used by the 
Navy Department as store-vessels in various places ; others 
constituted the foundation for temporary wharves at Port 
Royal, or in the inlets where our navy was employed; not 
one, it is believed, "lived" to return. Mr. Chappcll's ac- 



1 Military and Civil History of Connecticut, pp. 844. 
3 Since deceased. 



NKW LONDON. 83 



(Oil III (.t disbursements was accepted by the {government, and 
settled at once; and he was thanked for the promptness, in- 
tcijriiy and efficiency he had displayed. 

Allusion has been made to the first school house l)uilt in the 
town ill 17 13, on a ])lot on Hempstead near Broad street. 
The act of the General Assembly in 167S' had been carried 
out by the citizens and provision was made for this pur|)ose, 
and tlie building erected by the town. The expense of this 
then considered commodious school house is not given, but 
its dimensions were stated as twenty feet by sixteen, and seven 
feet between joints. In this little school room the girls and 
boys were not permitted to mingle, but on certain days of the 
week, at the close of the boy's school, the girls were permitted 
to attend an hour at a time for the purpose of learning to 
write. This was the first school huilding of which we have 
any account. 

In 1795, a brick edifice was erected "in the highway" south 
of the Cr)urt House, which was superseded by another more 
eligible building on Union street, occupied as befijre stated, 
by " Master Owen " and Dr. Dow. The brick building (^n 
Huntington street, now known as the Bethel Church, was 
next erected, fcjl lowed by other more eligible and commo- 
dious buildings, now occupied by the several (cons(jlidated) 
schools «jf the city. The entire number of school houses in 
the town is ten, and are generally very convenient and re- 
respectable structures. The fine brick edifice on I'liion 
street, near the First Congregational Church, is a large and 
well constructed building, and well supplied with all the 
proper appliances and tuniiture for the accoiniiiodation of 
the scholars. The Girls' High School on Huntington street 
is commodious, very conveniently arranged and well furnished 
with all the necessary apparatus fi)r facilitating the studies of 
the pupils. The large and commodious frame structure in the 
lower part of the town, built on tlie Coit estate, is well adapted 



1 " Doceinlior M, ItiilM. — Voiitcd tliiil tin- Ti)Wiir (frniitx one Imlf iM'iiy in ninny upon llii- 
I.ImI of Kxtalc t(i be raixeil fur tin- nxc of tin- fri-i- wIkhiIc ttmt hIiiiII tnicli ClilldrcM to Uriulc 
Writo and Cyplirr in ye I.iitlin Tont'iie, widcli S<'liool<- r-UnW lie kc|>l Iwo-ililrdM of llie ycun- 
on the WcMt Side and one-lliird jmrl <if tlie yeiire on llie Kii«l nide of the river. Hy rt'iid- 
\nn in intended f\\i\i (')iildren iiw lire in lliein- le-iillefH." (/lil lUainln. 



84 NEW LONDON. 



to its purpose, and, like the others, well provided with all 
proper conveniences and facilities for the instructions of the 
children. The up-town brick school house, near Hill street, 
and the frame building (jn North Main street, are both credit- 
able edifices as educational institutions and have all the 
necessary accommodations. 

The fine Gothic free stone building for the Boys' High 
School, erected on the old Town Square, is a credit to the city 
and a noble monument to its worthy founders. 

The conflagration of the city in 1781 involved the destruc- 
tion of all the public buildings. To replace them was a work 
of necessity. The old Court House, at the head of State 
street, was among the first to be erected. Grotesquely an- 
tique in its appearance, now in its ninetieth year, it stands 
"the stately relic of a former age, still doing good service in 
this," and destined, in all probability, still to remain for many 
years to come, as a reminder of the days of old, antedating 
every other public edifice in the city. 

The first Alms House was built by the city and stood at the 
corner of Truman and Blinman street, and was sold in 1773. 
After a lapse of several years, during which the poor of the 
town were supported by contract, the "new" alms house was 
erected on the Town Square on the spot now occupied by the 
Bulkeley High School building. It was built of brick under 
the directions of the Selectmen, thirty-six by lorty feet in size, 
and was regarded at the time as a very stately building. It 
was first termed a "Poor and Bettering House."' In 1866, 
this building, after a service of a long term of years, was re- 
moved and the present commodious edifice was erected on the 
pleasant commanding eminence in the rear of the city with 
ample accommodations for its inmates. The town farm, at- 
tached to the building, is ver}- judiciously managed by the 



1 According to the act of incorporation it was to be "A home for the poor, and also a 
worli-house and i)lacc of detention for rogues, vagabonds, sturdy beggars, idle, dcsolnte 
and disorderly persons, runaways, stubborn children and servants, common drunkards, 
night walkers, pilferers, and all persons who neglected their callings, misspend what they 
earn, and do not jjrovide support for themselves mid their families; also, all persons under 
destraction where friends or relations do not conliiie tluni." — Mi^s Caulkiim'' lIMonj, pp. 
()3(i. 



M:W I.()M)0N. 85 



present superintendent, Capt. James Stcbbins, and furnishes 
cniploynient tor all ihc male iiiuiales of the Alms House 
capable (if performing manual labor, and is ycarlv imjjroving. 
The Ilall of Records, completed in 1^56, under the su|)er- 
visit)n of a Judicious committee appointed by the t(nvn, is a 
neat and substantial structure, fifty-two by fifty-four feet in 
size, built of polished free stone and occupies a very eligible 
position on the corner of State and Union streets. The base- 
ment afl'ords ample accommodations for the Post Office in all 
its departments. The first story, approached by an easy flight 
of free stone steps, is occui)ie(l for the Probate and Police 
Courts, the office of the Water Commissioners, and the Re- 
corder's office. The other apartments are, the very ccjuveuient 
and well arranged ComuKjn Council room, occupying the 
third story, and other public offices. The cost of the building 
and lot was $33,000'. 

At the burning (jf the town in 17S1, but two churches then 
existeil. The Congregational Church, situated on Meeting 
House hill, near the present site of the Bulkcley High School 
building, and the Episcopal Church standing on or near the 
Parade. In 1785, the Congregati(jnal Society aband(jned the 
old site and located a new church on what was then termed 
Holies' hill, on the summit of a granite ledge overlooking the 
surrounding neighborho(jd. Many of our present citizens 
well recollect that venerable edifice on "Zion's Hill," a more 
modern and api)ro])riate designation liiaii its former title, with 
its cjuaint style of architecture, high back seats, elevated nar- 
row pulpit without a platform, overhung bv an imposing 
"souiuling board" suspended by an iron rod and overshadow- 
ing the "minister" with its pi^nderous i)ro])ortions, and also 
the severelv i)lain exterior of the church building, which was 
truly "founded on a rock." This old edifice was removed in 
1X50 to give place to the fine granite Gothic structure which 
nf)W occupies its sit(;. This is regarded as one of the finest 
( hurches in the County, finished inside in jjure ( lothic stvle 
with solid oak, and frescoed to imitate bhuks of blue and 
white marble. 

Till- Hpiscojial Cliur( h, burned in the general conflagration 
of the city, was re|i!a( ed by the eret lion of the building previ- 



86 NEW LONDON. 



ously referred to on the corner of Main and Church streets. 
From this building, in 1850, the Society removed to their 
noble and imposing edifice at the corner of Huntington and 
Federal streets, now occupied by them. Constructed of dark 
colored free stone in the pure Gothic style, it reminds the 
beholder of some of the old chapels of England.' The par- 
sonage is a substantial brick building, appropriately embel- 
lished, and in harmony with the church nearly adjoining. 

The Second Congregational Chiirch of New London is an 
otfshoot of the venerable establishment first located on Ray- 
mond or Meeting House hill in 1725, and afterwards removed 
to Bolles' or Zion's hill in 1787. It was organized by a little 
baq,d of less than twenty members from the parent church and 
occupied a neat and convenient place of worship previously 
erected on Huntington street. This church, which had short- 
ly previous been repaired and improved, was unfortunately 
destroyed by fire. After some delay in determining on a new 
site and completing the necessary arrangements, the beautiful 
granite structure on Broad and Federal streets was erected. 
With its towering spire, overlooking the entire surrounding 
country, truly "beautiful for situation" and imposing in ap- 
pearance, it is an ornament to the city and a credit to its 
architect and builders. The cost of the grounds, parsonage, 
chapel and church exceeded $100,000. 

In 1793, the first Methodist chapel was erected. In 1818 it 
was rebuilt and enlarged. Its site was at the head of Method- 
ist street. The church afterwards became divided, and in 1842 
a new frame edifice was built on Washington street." This 
was afterwards sold and the society erected the present neat 
brick church edifice on Federal street, which is now occupied 
as their place of worship. The Bethel, partly an outgrowth 
of the Methodist church, was established on Huntington 
street in 1850 and is now occupied by the society." 



1 This Church, in completenesR of design and architectural elegance, hold.s first rank 
anioii'-' ilu' icc'.csiustical edifices of the State. It is also a gratifying fact that the Society is 
uiiiiu-uinbcrcd with any debt for its erection; the wliole cost, which was upwards of $60,- 
000, being entirely covered by successive subscriptions.— J/i.w Cuulkins. 

2 This is now occupied as AUyn's Organ factory and Allyn Hall. 

3 Formerly tlie (iirls' High School building. 



Tlic First liaplist C'liiircli in llic cilv <t<ciii)ictl a pioiniiu'iil 
localii'ii oil llic old " Haplisl rocks" as llieii called, and was 
built early in the present century. Alter many years occupa- 
tion this buildintj^ was abandoned and sold, and the present 
coniiuodioiis and cxrellcnt brie k cliiiii li on Stale street was 
erected and is now occupied as their place of worship. 

A portion of the members lA' the old church, with the oIVk i- 
atiny; pastor, in 1^40, organized the Second Church. Jhis 
church and society erected the pleasant house (^t worship now 
occupied by them on Union street. Nine years later, in 1S49, 
another division from the l*"irst Church, under Rev. Jabe/. 
Swan, constituted the Third Church and purchased of the 
Universalist society their fiiielv located edifice on Iluntiny^ton 
street, which the church and society still continue to occupy 
under the preaching of their first pastor. 

The Universalist denominalictn is not largely represented in 
New Uondon. The house o\' worship erected by this society 
in 1844 was s(jld t(j the Tiiird Haptist Society in 1849. They 
then purchased, repaired and occupied for several years after, 
the old iipiscopal Church on the corner of Main and Church 
streets. After which it was scjld for secular purposes. 

In 1842 a small Roman Catholic chapel was built in Jay 
street and occupied for a few years, until a miu h larger and 
more commodi(jus building was erected two blocks further 
clown the same street. Two years ago that denMinination 
commenced one of the finest and most expensive chui"( h edi- 
fices in the ccjuntv. It is built of gray granite of the best 
quality, cjuarried from the lot on which it stands, and is ikmv 
nearly completed. "St. Mary's Star of the Sea," as a church 
edifice, will exceed, with one exception, most of the churches 
in tlie State. 

New London may justly claim some of tlie most disting- 
uished ministers of the gcjs()el in the State. I'Vom its early 
history the colony was favored with men of that prolession 
who for piety, talent and abilitv were deservedly of the highest 
rank. We might refer to the Rev. Thomas Peter>, associated 
with Winthrop the founder of the town; I\i< hani HIinnian, its 
first settled minister; (iersliom Hulkelev, who came from 
Concord, Mass., in 1661; the Rev. Simon |{radstreel, and 



88 NEW LONDON. 



Gurdon Saltonstall, who, during his ministry, was elected 
Governor of the State. Also his successor, the Rev. William 
Adams, afterwards chosen rector of Yale Col!ege,and Mathew 
Byles. Jr. ; succeeded by Wt)odbridge and Channing and the 
late Dr. Abel McEwen, who, fc^- more than half a century, 
sustained the office of pastor of the First Congregational 
Church. Nor would we omit Samuel Seabury, the first pastor 
of the Episcopal Church, who in 1890 was made Bishop of 
Connecticut; Charles Seabury, the worthy son of his disting- 
uished father, with their successors Revs. Robert Blakesly, 
and Bethel Judd, and Robert A. Hallam, so long the honored 
and revered rector of St. James. All these and many others 
whose names that are not mentioned, are worthy of a more 
extended biography than the present sketch will allow. 

For several years the want of a first-class hotel in the city 
was experienced. The old established Steamboat Hotel kept 
by the Bacon's, was more noted for its hospitality and home 
comforts than modern improvements. The City Hotel on 
State street had become old in the service, and the Me- 
tropolitan on Bank street was too contracted to accommo- 
date a large number of guest until 1872, when the present 
large and excellent hotel so popularly known as the Crocker 
House was erected by a joint stock company organized for 
that purpose. It combines every modern convenience and 
luxury: contains one hundred and twenty-five rooms, besides 
numerous elegant suites for families, and is provided with gas, 
bath rooms, water closets, and hot and cold water on each 
ihjor, and in every respect may be regarded as a hotel of the 
highest reputation. The Metropolitan on Bank, and the Na- 
ti(jnal on State street, and one or two others complete the list. 

The Pequot House, at the mouth of the harbor, about three 
miles below the city, was opened as a watering place in June, 
1853, and as a summer resort has almost a national rei)utation 
as one of the finest and most delightfully located watering 
I)laces on the New England coast. Besides the spacious hotel 
buildings, it includes nearly forty beautiful cottages as ap- 
pendages, where all who desire it can enjoy all the comforts 
and luxuries of family residences in connection with this 
popular summer resort, — a feature that but few other water- 



NEW I.OMKJN. 89 



iiiij places can boast. The main bulldintj, with its adjacent 
cottas^es, will acconiniodate 400 guests. No jjlace (jf siiniiuer 
resort on our seaboard presents greater attractions for its fish- 
ing, bathing, sea air, and all the purposes of liealth and exer- 
cise. With its e.xcellent drive U) the city, and the gratification 
of taste for beautiful scenery connected with interesting his- 
torical associatitms, but few summer resorts in New Kng- 
land have acquired the popularity of the Pequotat New Lon- 
don. 

Lawrence and Aborn Halls are the principal j)laces in tlic 
city for public lectures and exhibitions. The former was 
completed in 1856, and affords very respectable accommoda- 
tions f(jr an audience of 1,000 to 1,200 persons. It is one hun- 
dred and five feet long, fifty-seven broad, with an arched ceil- 
ing twenty-four feet above the floor. A gallery or corridor 
occupies the rear and sides of llie hall, which is appropriately 
dectjrated and comfortably seated. Both Lawrence and Aborn 
halls are located on Hank street. 

The New London Gas company was incori)oraled in Ajjril, 
1853, with a capital of $70,000, and the privilege of increasing 
the same to $100,000. The c(jmpany obtained from the city 
exclusive privilege tor fifteen years on condition of furnish- 
ing fifty lamp posts and supplying the city with gasat $2.50, 
and individuals §4 per thousand feet, the price afterwards to 
be modified according to circumstances. The companv now 
supplies the city at §3.00 and individuals at $4-5° P*-'"" thous- 
and feet, with gas of a good quality. 

In its supply of water for the city, for all pur[ioscs. New 
London surpasses most New England towns. An act of the 
Cieneral Assembly passed at the May session in 1S71, "To 
provide the City of New London with pure and wholesome 
water," was jjromptly carried into etTect by a citv appropria- 
tion of §250,000 in bonds and the appointment of an efficient 
board of ccjmmissioners, composed (jf Wm. H. Harns, J. T. 
Shepard, Charles M Daboll..!. C. Learned and R. II. Chapcll.' 
Lake Konomoc, a beautiful sheet of water about six miles dis- 

Siiirr Mr. ClmiK'll'H (leiilli, (}(ciri;<' K. Minrr, Wni. 11. Toix y niul llorncr Colt Imvr luUI 
Ihr iii>|>«liitniciit. Hy ltn- new chiirtcr llu- iiiiinl»r of iiii'inlMrT< wan rr<lin«(l lo four, uiid 
M(--r!'. Uiirii-, Slupnrd, Dalioll iiikI Colt nri- Hk- priKciil hoiinl of r<iiiilnlK»ioucrii. 



00 NEW LONDON. 



tant from the city, with about ninety acres of the adjoining 
lands, was purchased; a massive and substantial dam of earth, 
concrete and mason worlc constructed, raising the water ten 
feet above its natural level and enlarging the lake to two hun- 
dred acres, insuring a most abundant supplv of water at all 
times for the city. The works were designed by J. T. Fan- 
ning, consulting engineer, and built under the direction of W. 
H. Richards, civil engineer, who has ever since been in 
charge. The adjacent lands, previous to overflowing, were de- 
nuded of all trees and shrubs, and the muck lands covered with 
eighteen inches of clean gravel, leaving the present banks 
formed by the wash of the water, a clean sandy shore. The 
area of the water shed supplying the lake is 976 acres, and the 
depth that can be drawn is 13 feet. The water on analysis is 
shown to be colorless, inoderous and neutral, and the experi- 
ence of two or three years proves it to be perfectly sweet and 
of the best quality for drinking and all cleansing purposes. 
The entire cost of the works was $260,000. The cost of main- 
tenance at the present time is about $9,000, and the receipts 
$14,000 annually; the cost of maintainence decreasing and 
the income increasing yearly. As a bountiful supply for the 
city for the next half century it may be said to be inexhausti- 
ble. Lake Konomoc's estimated capacity is 600,000,000 gal- 
lons; its annual supply is 530,286,000 gallons, or 50 gallons 
per day each for 29,000 persons. It has a head of frum 80 to 
170 feet, rendering the city steam fire engines entirelv useless. 
The first newspaper, or rather bulletin, of which history 
gives any account, was issued more than 2,000 )'ears ago by 
Portifuus Maximits of Rome. It was written on white wooden 
tablets and suspended (jn the outer-doors of the higher rank 
of the people. This was publislied annually. The first paper 
devoted to advertising and the news in England appeared in 
1662, and was called the "• Weekly N ewes." The first American 
newspaper was published in Boston in 1690, and immediately 
suppressed by the authorities. The first in the colony of Con- 
necticut was the Coimccticut Gazette, published at New Haven 
in 1755. The ^\xs\. Neiv London'^ newspaper was established 



1 New London has the credit of setting up the second printina; press in the North Anieri- 
Ciin Colonics in 1709; the first havin-; boon iijiud in Canibridi,'o, Mass. — At/utfican Cydoptdia. 



yEW LONDON. 91 



bv Timothy Green ' in AiiQ^ust, 175H. This was a small half 
sheet paper j)iil)lished weekly and called the A't-7i' J.onilon Sum- 
mary. After a continuance of five years its editor died and its 
issue was suspended until 1763, when it was revived under the 
title of the i\'f7c< Lorition Gazette. This was continued a few 
vears, v*as enlarged, and the name chane;ed to the Conucctiiiit 
Gazette, the name of the first newspaper in the colonv, l)ut 
which had then been discontinued. The Gazette was continued 
by Timothy (ireen& Son, Sam'l Green, Cady& Eells; a_£(ain by 
Samuel CJreen, J(jhn J. Hyde, S. II. Green and A. G. Seaman, 
until at the expiration of more than eighty years its existence 
ceased. The Weekly Oraele appeared in 1796, printed anfl pub- 
lished by James Springer. The Jiee was jirinterl anri published 
by Chas. Holt from 1797 to iSo2,and then transferred to Hud- 
son, \. V. The Repuhliean Adxoeate, bv Cla])p & Francis, was 
established in i8i<S and continued to 1.S2S, when it was suc- 
ceeded by the Connectiei/t Se/iti/iel, which was soon discontinued. 
The People's Advoeate was C(jmmenced in August, 1X40, pub- 
lished by Benjamin P. Hissell, and continued under the editor- 
ship of John J. Hyde, Thomas P. Trott, J. G. Dolbear and W. 
D. Manning, until A])ril, 184S, when it was merged into the 
weekly and daily Chronicle. The Afonti/ii^ Daily AVvi-y, the 
first daily i)aper published in New London, was established by 
Mr. Dolbear, and was afterwards merged in the Daily Chroni- 
cle. The New Londt^n weekly and daily Chronicle were pub- 
lished by C. F. Daniels and V. II. Bacon from 1S48 to 1S58, 
when it passed into the hands of Win. O. Irish and Charles 
Butler, and afterwards into the possession (jf Win. II. Starr, 
and after a short time was merged in the State Temperance 
Journal, and the Chronicle w.is discf)ntinued. In 1858 77ie A'e- 
pository, ?i \\\m\\\ paper was established by W. H. Starr, and 
continued four vears. In 1845, the AV?*' London L)emocrat was 
established by J. M.Scofield who, in 1848 issued in connection 
with it a small daily, the Mornini^ Star. This passed into the 
hands of I). S. Ruddcjck, wluj continued the publication uiiiil 
1853, when an association of gentlemen, under the title of the 

I TliiiDlhy (irccii wuh tlur prxumilur of tin- riiiiiiinx llin' of (ini'ii", illNtln^'iiMifil ax 
priiilorH anrI iiiilillMher« in New London for nunrly a t'« iiliiry, Col. .Sumiifl (Jri-rn Im-Iul' Ihc 
laxt of Ihi' family. 



92 NEW LONDON. 



New London Printing Company, purchased the paper and of- 
fice and are now the publishers of the Gazette, a well filled 
weekly sheet, and the Evening Telegram, a daily paper, both of 
which are having a very liberal circulation. 

The Banking establishments of New London are all credit- 
able institutions. The Union Bank was incorporated in 1792 
with a capital of $100,000, afterwards increased to $300,000; 
the New London City Bank, incorporated in 1807 with $150,- 
000; the Whaling Bank in 1833, with f 163, 000 capital; the 
Bank of Commerce in 1852, with a capital of $100,000, in- 
creased to $200,000 ; and the First National, the last on the 
list, was incorporated in 1863 with a capital of $100,000. 
These are now all National institutions. In addition to these 
are the Savings Bank of New London, incorporated in 1827, 
and the Mariner's Savings Bank in 1867, whose aggregate de- 
posits amount to $4,400,000. To these may be added the 
Equitable Trust Company, an institution of this city, with its 
large capital of $1,000,000. The character of the bank build- 
ings is creditable to the corporations they represent. The 
National Union Bank, on State street, is a fine granite struct- 
ure, neat and pleasing in architectural design; the National 
Bank of Commerce occupies spacious and well arranged 
rooms in the Crocker House building; the New London City 
National is a substantial granite building, and the Naticmal 
Whaling, a commodious brick edifice botli on Bank street, and 
the First National, a three story brick building on State street. 
The Savings Bank of New London occupies a very snug and 
neat free stone banking house on Main street, and the Mari- 
ner's Savings Bank and the Equitable Trust Company, have 
admirably furnished offices in the Crocker House building on 
State street. These institutions are all exceedingly well man- 
aged by some of the most shrewd and trustworthy of the 
business men of the city, and all are doing a prosperous busi- 
ness. 

New London is not wanting in associations for benevolent 
purposes. The Ladies Seamen's Friend Society, incorporated 
in 1847, for the benefit of the families of destitute seamen. 
The Thomas W.Williams, 2d., fund was organized for the same 
purpose. The Ezra Chappell Benevolent Society, incorpo- 



NEW LONDON. 93 



rated in 1866, witli $10,000 invested funds. The l-ewis l''ein:ilc 
Cent Society witli $7,000 invested. The Coit Ictjarv nf §10,- 
000, tile income ot wliicli \v:is to l)e applied to tlie relief of the 
worthy \n)(tr of the town. All these societies are in active 
operation and their funds promptly and faithfully ajjplied. 

The Incorporated Companies of New London consist of the 
Albertson & Douc^lass Machine Company, now occui)yin<T 
their extensive works on Main street and doint^ a jartje busi- 
ness in boilers and steamb(jat machinery, and macliinc work 
e^enerally. The Brown Cotton Gin Company, on Shaw's 
Neck, incorporated in 1869, engaged exclusively in the cotton 
gin business and noted as turning out some of the most per- 
fect and beautiful gins in the country. The New London CJas 
Light Com[)aii\', of which mention has been already made. 
The New London Morse Nail Company, organized in i860, 
Isaac C. Tate, president. The Wilson Manufacturing Com- 
pany, having a ca})ital of $100,000, with extensive works oc- 
cupying two full city blocks in the heart of the city, are en- 
gaged largely in the manufacture of mowing machines, brass 
work, tools and other implements. The New London Print- 
ing Comjjany on Green street, |)ul)lishers of the Gazettv and 
Ereniiii; Tt/ii^ram, are doing a i)ros])erous business in the job 
printing line. The Tliames Ferry Company are engaged in 
running the steam ferry boat between the citv and Groton. 
These, with a few (jthers of smaller note, constitute the 
corporations r)f the city. 

The first IJurial Place in the town, and the oldest in the 
county, occupied a plot north (»f the "Meeting Hf)use on the 
hill." This ancient place of sepulture is still i)reser\ed, and 
its mossy head stones' and frriimbling tablets are regarded 
with deep interest by many of our citi/.ens. The spot will 
long remain sacred as the jieaceful resting jilace of the early 
honored and revered dead of the colony. 

The Second Burial firoiind was purchased bv tax on (lie 
rateable estate of the citizens and opened in 17';.?. Lor scvi-ral 
years it was the principal place of inti-nncnl in the town. 



1 .\ fi-w year- "imr the cliv iiiillinrilli'- liiillt ii new \miII i>f vncloitiirc mid n-plnri-il nnd 
rcHol tlif fallen lii-iid -tMiicM, imd in ii iiu'ii-iiri' rriniviilcd ilil» iiiicii-nt Imrlal i^'oiiiid. 



94 NEW LONDON. 



Here originally were deposited the remains of Bishop Sea- 
bury, Gen. Jedediah Huntington, Hon. Richard Law, Hon. 
Lyman Law, Gen. Burbeck, Capt. Elisha Hinman, Capt. N. 
Fosdic, John F. C. Brainard the lamented poet, and many 
others of equal note, the most of these, iiowever, have since 
been removed to Cedar Grove Cemetery, and interments here 
are now discontinued. 

The Third Ground is located in the outskirts of the city 
and is still occupied as a family burial place. 

Cedar Grove Cemeter}^ about one mile from the city limits, 
is now the present principal hallowed place of sepidture. 
This pleasant and retired location was purchased and conse- 
crated to its sacred use in 1851. Its natural beauty, com- 
manding prospect, sequestered dell, quiet lakelet and shadow- 
ing evergreens, all combine to render it a most appropriate 
and hallowed spot where the loved and departed may peace- 
fully rest beneath its quiet shades. The many monumental 
tributes of affection, beautiful in design and rich in architect- 
ural adornment already erected, give ample evidence of the 
strong hold that this sacred "Garden of the dead" has upon 
the affections of the inhabitants. 

As the birth place and residence of honorable and disting- 
uished men New London is justly entitled to hold high rank. 
The few names that we have given in our brief sketch are 
scarcely a beginning of the number that might be recorded. 
As distinguished divines, patriots, statesmen and men of more 
than ordinary intellect, New London has produced a very large 
number. In literature, law, physic, and the mechanic arts she 
has stood prominent ; and for men of more than ordinarj' in- 
tellect she has had few rivals. New London has given to the 
State three of her most distinguished early governors; ' has 
supplied this district with nine members of the National Con- 
gress, viz.: William Hillhouse, Richard Law, Amasa Learned, 
Joshua Coit, Elias Perkins, Lyman Law, Thomas W. Wil- 
liams, Nathan Belcher and Augustus Brandegee. She sup- 
plied the army of the Union with three patriotic generals" and 

1 John Wintlivoi), Fitz John Winthroj) and Gurdon SaltanstoU. 

2 Major (Tcncral J. A. Mower, Brigadier General Joseph G. I'orlvins. and Major General 
Joseph G. Toll en. 



NKW LOXDnX. 05 



iiiaiiv bnivi- otikfis. Her successive Mayors (oiiipiisc a list 
of honored and respected names. Ricliard Law,' her first 
inavor. continued in olTice twenty-twcj years; Jcreniiali G. 
Brainard, wlu) succeeded him, twenty-three years, the two fill- 
ing; the office nearly half a century. These were succeeded by 
Elias Perkins, Coddinu:ton Hillings, Noyes Billine^s, Jirah 
Isham, Francis .Mlvn. CJcorij^e C. Wilson, Caleb J. Allen, An- 
drew M. Frink, j. V. C. Mather, Andrew C. Lippitt, Henry P. 
Haven, Jonathan N. Harris. Hiram Willey, Frederick L. 
Allen, Augustus Branileujee and the present worthy incum- 
bent, Thomas M. Waller. 

In closintj our brief sketch of Niw London we cannot but 
revert to her former history. Her early pioneers cnccjuntercd 
savas^e foes and endured severe hardshii)S and countless pri- 
vations. Durinp; the first 130 years she had struiT^j.^lefl man- 
fullv and not in vain. Her hardv sons had succeeded in 
establishiuij claims U) a township of vcrv respectable enter- 
prise and proportions, and were enjoyinti^ the fruits rjt their 
toil and perseverin<>^ industry. But a sad reverse awaited 
them. Suddenly ami relentlessly the destroyer came. Iler 
peaceful homes were laid waste l)y the ruthless invader. The 
sword of the enemy thinned her po):)ulation and caused 
widowhood aiifl ori)hanaj:^e in their borders. Her noblest 
and bravest sons had fallen in defence of their firesides and 
families. The torch of the enemy had consumed her dwel- 
lintjs. The tlatnes had devoured her public buildiiiijs, licr 
stores, her churches, aiul all her little fleet of vessels that 
could be reached, and the very site of the former city was a 
scene of sad desolation. The sun of her |)rosperity has e^one 
d(jvvn in darkness, the liy^ht of her hopes had departed, aufl 
scarcely anvthinij but her name reiuained. Such was New 
London in 17S1, the dale of the period ot her second birth. 

We now recur to New London at the pri-senl lime. 
Like the fabled I'henix of (dd she has risen Irom her former 
ashes. Less than a century has elapsed since her darkest 
period, and we of the present u^cneraiion look with calm coim- 



I Uirlmrd I.iiw wiis hIh.i Clii.f .rii-liir wvirnl jiiirN, iiml llic tlr-t I'liili-.l Stiit.- Dl-trlrt 
Jii<li,'ir fur till- JStulc of Ciiiiiiicliciil. 



96 NEW LONDON. 




placency on our pleasant surroundings. All vestige of her 
former desolation has disappeared. Her inhabitants have all 
the comforts and luxuries of liaj)py and peaceful homes. Her 
citizens enjoy all the privileges and blessings of a free and 
prosperous people. The town now numbers about 1600 dwel- 
ling houses, many of which are models of elegance, and ex- 
hibit the good taste of her citizens. Her hotels, banking 
houses and public buildings indicate her progress in improve- 
ment. Her school houses and imposing church edifices attest 
her intelligence and regard for morality and virtue. We 
traverse the city by twenty-five miles of public streets and 
avenues, several of which are well macademized. The waters 
of Lake Konomoc are coursing in their channels through the 
beds of granite rock that underlie the city, and are streaming in 
a thousand crystal fountain jets in every quarter. It numbers 
a population of more than 10,000 people, the aggregate value 
of whose real and personal estate amounts to more than %i6,- 
000,000. Its invested capital in mechanical, manufacturing 
and commercial interests exceed ^2,825,000. The aggregate 
value of the annu.d product of its mechanical and manufact- 
uring establishments is ^1,000,000, and of its whaling and 
fisheries more than $600,000. The city has a banking capital 
of $1,860,000, including that of the Trust Company, also $4,- 
500,000 deposited in the two Savings Banks. Situated on one 
of the best harbors in New England, between and nearly 
equidistant from New York and Boston, at the termini and 
connection of three important railroads, extending through- 
out New England and connecting with all the important lines 
of railway to the Pacific coast, traversed by more tlian fifty 
arriving and departing trains of cars daily, in addition to a 
daily line of first class steamers to New York. New London 
favored by the hand of the Divine Ruler, shows an honorable 
record of the past, in her progress and prosperity. May her 
future history be a continuation of all that is good, virtuous, 
and noble, in the hearts of the people, through succeeding 
generations, and her coming record be one of approval by 
Him on whose blessing the prosperity of nations and cities, 
as well as individuals depends. 



/i^^^<t2A.y^^"^^ 



